RI society is facing a crisis of confidence

Ardimas Sasdi, Jakarta

Police raided a Jakarta-based educational institute last week and found that the institution had awarded bogus academic titles to well over 2,000 people. But the most bizarre aspect of this matter are the backgrounds of the recipients.

Listed as recipients, according to police, are a former vice president, former Cabinet ministers, senior police officers and religious leaders -- people who are idolized in our hierarchical society.

This shameful story only strengthens the public perception that our society is suffering from a serious moral crisis. Some people justify any means to reach their goals, even though they go against norms, values and conscience.

Bogus academic titles are not a new phenomena, and neither are they exclusive to Indonesia, but this event is unusual because of the large number of recipients involved and their prominent status in society. The issue is also not conducive towards our goals of creating a healthy, competitive system in our society.

Worse, not only could further erode the confidence of foreigners in us, but it could also wipe out any pride Indonesians may have had in the areas of academic achievement. We continue to be regularly outshined by our neighbors such as Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand.

Indeed a professor cum mentor at a university expressed his concern to the writer last year about a report in a noted U.S. media outlet that a former vice president of Indonesia had a bogus academic title. In a humiliating conclusion, the American daily linked the use of bogus titles in Indonesia with the prolonged financial crisis and unclear directions in our economy.

The questionable academic titles included undergraduate degrees, master's degrees and doctorates in various disciplines, and came into the spotlight recently after Vice President Jusuf Kalla questioned the validity of academic titles of officials in the regencies, mayoralties and provinces.

The Vice President's suspicion was not without reason. Theoretically, it is difficult for busy people like mayors, regents and governors to sit in classrooms, read difficult textbooks and do homework like regular students.

Following up on the Vice President's concern, the Ministry of National Education placed advertisements with several TV stations. One scene in an advertisement shows Minister of National Education Bambang Sudibyo warning the public that both recipients and givers of fake degrees, which cost around Rp 10 million (US$1,000), could be sentenced to five years in jail or fined Rp 500 million.

Naturally, getting reliable data on the numbers of holders of fake academic titles is difficult, but the number is certainly much higher than the figure released by police. Dozens of politicians, who last year joined contested seats in the regional legislative councils, for instance, have had their ambitions dashed because they used bogus academic titles or school certificates.

Under the law, members of the regional legislative councils must have a minimum secondary education, but many politicians in the regions do not have high school certificates, much less academic titles.

The motivations of people in acquiring fake academic titles is, however, not singular. Some people occupying higher echelons in the government and the military/police bought academic degrees thinking that these would help them advance their careers.

Unlike in developed countries where achievements come before academic degrees, in Indonesia an academic degree is crucial for promotion to higher positions as well as being a potent symbol of social status and success. Thus no wonder why many people put a line of degrees like Drs. Anu, MM, MBA or Dr. Ir. Badu. MEg, MSc after their names. Some may well be fake.

But in our system that is full of contradictions, people with a so-so education or those with bogus titles usually occupy key and "wet" posts, while smart people with good degrees from the best universities, are sidelined, occupying less important and "dry" positions. "Wet" and "dry" in this case refers to a post's potential to generate illicit additional income.

This situation occurred because people in high office, who make decisions on promotions, cannot take criticism from their subordinates.

The most annoying aspect about fake academic titles is that it clearly indicates that our society is suffering from a crisis of confidence. On the one hand we are hyper-critical of scientists, who are seen as being merely people who are good at theories, but on the other hand we are fond of using their titles, even if they are bogus.

The author is a staff writer at The Jakarta Post.