Polopalo Beat Marks Opening of MPR RI Four Pillars Quiz Competition in Gorontalo

The Four Pillars Quiz Competition (LCC) of the People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR) at the Gorontalo provincial level was officially opened in Gorontalo City on Saturday (4/7). The opening was enlivened by a procession of beating the Polopalo, a traditional musical instrument typical of Gorontalo, as a symbol of the start of the competition aimed at strengthening the younger generation’s understanding of national values. The ceremony began with an official opening by the Head of the Bureau for Session Affairs and Constitutional Dissemination of the MPR RI Secretariat General, Wachid Nugroho, followed by the Polopalo beating together with the Head of the Gorontalo Provincial Education and Culture Office, Sudarman Samad. In his speech, Sudarman expressed appreciation for the organisation of the MPR RI Four Pillars LCC. According to him, the activity is not merely a competition but a learning medium for students to understand the foundations of national and state life. He stated that understanding the Four Pillars of the MPR RI is important as a fortress for the younger generation in facing the strong negative influences of digital technology and social media development. ‘Our hope is that this activity becomes a means of building character as well as strengthening participants’ understanding of national values,’ Sudarman said. He also invited all participants to uphold sportsmanship during the competition and expressed appreciation to the teachers who had guided the students to participate in the provincial level competition. He emphasised that all participants are the best sons and daughters of Gorontalo who are expected to become future leaders of the nation with strong character based on Pancasila values. Meanwhile, Wachid Nugroho revealed that the LCC is one of the MPR’s strategies to socialise the Four Pillars while strengthening the ideological resilience of the younger generation. He said the heavy flow of information on social media requires the younger generation to have the ability to filter out ideologies that contradict Pancasila. ‘This competition is not just a contest, but one of the MPR’s methods to strengthen national values and Pancasila among the nation’s next generation,’ he said. Wachid also reminded that ahead of the 81st anniversary of Indonesian independence, the younger generation must understand that independence was achieved through the sacrifices of heroes and must be filled by maintaining unity. He assessed that the Nusantara is not just a collection of thousands of islands, but a great idea that unites diversity in ethnicity, language, and culture within the framework of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia. Therefore, participants are expected not only to master material about history and the constitution but also to be able to practice the values of the Four Pillars in daily life. Furthermore, Wachid emphasised that the current young generation will determine the direction of the nation’s journey towards a Golden Indonesia 2045. Through the MPR RI Four Pillars LCC, they are expected to grow into a generation that is intelligent, has character, and is ready to be at the forefront of safeguarding the integrity of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia (NKRI). ‘Win with honour, and if you do not succeed, go home as a warrior with your head held high,’ he advised the participants. A total of nine senior high schools and equivalent from various regions in Gorontalo Province participated in the MPR RI Four Pillars LCC, namely SMKN 1 Gorontalo, SMKN 1 Bulango Utara, SMAN 1 Gorontalo Utara, MAN Insan Cendikia Gorontalo, SMKN 1 Limboto, SMAN 3 Kota Gorontalo, SMAN 1 Randangan, SMA N 1 Kabila, and MAN 1 Kota Gorontalo. The opening of the MPR RI LCC at the Gorontalo provincial level was also attended by the jury panel, namely Dr. Erman I. Rahim, Head of the Law Department at Gorontalo State University; Dr. Novendri Nggilu, Head of the Law Journal Centre at Gorontalo State University; and Dr. Nurmin K. Martam, Dean of the Faculty of Law at Gorontalo University.