Obligation to build a nation

Obligation to build a nation

This is a momentous time in Indonesia. The wind of change is
slowly but inexorably sweeping through the country. And why not?
With imminent regionalization and globalization we will have the
world knocking at our doorstep. And the world has changed faster
in the last two decades than it had in the previous two
centuries. The people are becoming more educated, real-time
information is blazing at the speed of light from one corner of
the globe to the other. Consequently, the people's aspirations
are also changing; they demand better lives for themselves,
better protection from the authorities and transparent justice
from the judicial system.

And so must our agenda change. Take for example the recently
debated issue of indigenous-nonindigenous tension. Half a century
ago throngs of people from the southern provinces of China sailed
the "South Seas" in their wooden junks to escape the tyranny of
the northern Chinese government. These people arrived in the
neighboring countries of Hong Kong, Thailand, the Malay Peninsula
and Indonesia, mostly penniless but rich in dreams of economic
prosperity. They all had one agenda: wealth creation.

Over the next few decades they worked hard to achieve this and
later formed some of the largest business conglomerates in the
world. While these business people undeniably contributed much to
their host countries' economic growth, they may have failed to
appreciate that a country's definition of success is much more
than just the sum total of its money.

Sofjan Wanandi's recent address on the complex issue of
indigenous-nonindigenous tension caused by the widening
socioeconomic gap testifies to the shortsightedness of such a
definition (Sofjan Wanandi is currently the spokesman of the
Jimbaran Group of tycoons). Over the past 30 years a lot of
wealth has been created in Indonesia. The totok (original)
Chinese have achieved their agenda. They have made Indonesia
their home. They have changed their names. They have changed
their children's names. It is now time to change their agenda
from wealth creation to nation building. Indigenous and
nonindigenous alike we are all Indonesian citizens and we have a
nation to build.

Sofjan Wanandi has called for an end to this destructive
indigenous-nonindigenous tension. The group that he represents
must put all their weight in unity behind him and take the first
step in the long and laborious process of building a great
nation. That means putting money where their mouths are and
sinking some of the profit dollars into community projects such
as health and education.

Other business, communities and political leaders must also
embrace this new agenda and put it into action in their
respective capacities.

John D. Rockefeller Jr. pronounced that "every right implies a
responsibility; every opportunity an obligation; every possession
a duty". The wind of change is here, let us usher in a new era of
true prosperity in this great country together.

DR. IWAN TUMEWA

Chairman of the Young Entrepreneurs' Organization

Indonesia Chapter

Jakarta