Purity of thinking

Purity of thinking

From Rakyat Merdeka

As the year 2000 comes to an end the political elite conflicts remain on the increase, which as a consequence has had a negative impact on people's political aspirations. And if this is not ended, I am afraid that people's attitude toward the legislative as well as the executive authority will increasingly become skeptical. This skeptical attitude will in the end be capable of delegitimating the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia (NKRI). We have seen indications of going in this direction from the recent rising of "referendum fever" in several regions like Aceh, Irian Jaya and Riau.

To take a stance on this issue, though, we need to pay close attention to the appeal by the Indonesian Forum of Rectors in so much as the political elite should introspect on the current situation and begin to have purity of thinking by putting up front the interests of the nation and people. The forum also urges the political elite to sit together in an atmosphere of full brotherhood so as to reawaken this nation from the current multidimensional crises.

This academic elite's form of care is a "signal" of the growing threat of NKRI disintegration in the coming years that may come from the internal as well as external forces.

MURDIANTO MS

Jakarta