Nationalism remains strong: CESDA survey
JAKARTA (JP): Nationalism remains strong among the people in this country, with an enormous number of people preferring to identify themselves by their nationality rather than their ethnicity, according to a results of a survey announced on Tuesday.
The Center for the Study of Development and Democracy (CESDA), in a survey published four days before Indonesia's 56th anniversary, said 67 percent of people interviewed believed nationalism should be the basis of the national ideology.
Only 9 percent said Indonesia should become a state based on religion, according to the nationwide survey on "Indonesian Nationalism and Pluralism in the Transition Period".
As many as 81 percent of respondents declared their identity as being Indonesian, while only 11 percent preferred to be identified either by their religion or ethnicity.
But when questioned further about whether they were proud to be Indonesian, only 59 percent said they were. Nine percent said they were ashamed, primarily because of rampant corruption, endless communal conflicts and injustices. Another 30 percent were indifferent to the question.
The survey involved 2,970 people in 13 cities. Conducted by means of face to face interview between July 9 and 31, the respondents were above 17 years old and selected in almost equal proportions in terms of the nation's ethnic, religious, education and income backgrounds. It has a 2 percent margin of error and 95 percent degree of certainty.
CESDA, a division of the Institute of Research, Education and Information of Social and Economic Affairs (LP3ES), said the survey was taken against a backdrop of ethnic, religious and political conflicts that have plagued the nation for the past four years and, which it said, could undermine Indonesia's nation building process.
In spite of the communal nature of many of these conflicts, the majority of respondents believed that they were provoked by third parties rather than cultural differences.
On religious conflicts, 51 percent said they were the work of third parties, 17 percent blamed economic disparities and 13 percent said they were caused by hatred and envy between the different groups. On ethnic conflicts, the proportions were 40 percent, 14 percent and 13 percent respectively.
CESDA head Naning Mardiah said the survey found most Indonesians to be very tolerant of cultural differences.
Admitting that communal conflicts broke out now and then in some parts of the country, she said that most Indonesians accepted cultural diversity and believed that differences should be resolved by peaceful means.
President Megawati Soekarnoputri, in announcing the new Cabinet lineup on Friday, made the maintenance of national unity and territorial integrity, in the face of what she described as disintegrating forces, the number one priority of her government.
The majority of respondents, 62 percent, said they objected to allowing Aceh and Irian Jaya, two provinces which have registered rising demands for independence, to go their own ways. Only 16 percent said they had no qualms on the issue.
On East Timor, which voted in 1999 to leave the republic, 63 percent of the respondents said Indonesia should remain on friendly terms with the new independent country.
In spite of the strong sense of nationalism, 41 percent of respondents were unsure whether Indonesia could remain intact as a nation, with 10 percent even believing that the country would break up into smaller states. Only 32 percent believed the archipelagic state would remain as it is today.
Around 80 percent of the respondents said ethnic, religious and political differences have not affected the unity of the nation. An equal proportion said that cultural differences did not influence their choice of friends, neighbors and colleagues.
While professing religious tolerance, the majority of Indonesians, however, do not approve of inter-religious marriages or conversion to other religions among their close relatives.
As many as 44 percent of respondents said that, in principle, they accepted inter-religious marriages, but when asked if the issue involved one of their close relatives, 74 percent said they would object.
Similarly, 60 percent of respondents said they had no objection to people changing faiths, but 62 percent objected to such a decision being made by close relatives.
The survey found strong public disdain with the media's political coverage, with 80 percent saying the media failed to voice the people's aspirations. Meanwhile, 54 percent even blamed the media for aggravating conflicts.
On the legislature, 58 percent gave a low rating to the elected representatives in fighting for the people's interests.
As many as 74 percent of the respondents said they wanted a direct presidential election system and the opportunity for voters to elect representatives directly through the general elections, instead of the political parties selecting them. (07/emb)