Students pledge to leave sins of forbears' behind
Tantri Yuliandini, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta
Many quarters believe that the most effective way to eradicate corruption in Indonesia would be to get rid of the older generation and start afresh with the new generation.
And listening to how earnestly high school students from across Jakarta made a pledge on Friday to become a clean, transparent and professional generation, one can understand why they would think that.
"Cheating during tests is also a form of corruption, if a student doesn't take the trouble to study and relies on others for his test results, then he probably will look for shortcuts in bigger more important issues later on in life," Guntur, 16, from State High School (SMU) No. 13 in North Jakarta told The Jakarta Post.
The "Student's Pledge" at the Proclamation Monument in Central Jakarta on Friday was organized by State High School (SMU) No. 13 in connection with the National Anticorruption Day on Dec. 9.
More than 250 students from across Jakarta and representatives from Makassar in South Sulawesi, and Padang in West Sumatra, attended the event. It was also attended by Indonesian Corruption Watch (ICW) coordinator Teten Masduki.
"As a clean generation we pledge not to conduct corrupt practices, as a transparent generation we pledge not to conduct collusive practices, and as a professional generation we pledge not to conduct nepotistic practices," the students recited in unison, witnessed by the giant statues of the country's founding fathers, Sukarno and Mohammad Hatta.
Chairman of the organizing committee, 16-year-old Isdhama Miswardana, who also comes from SMU No. 13, said that he had witnessed various forms of corruption since junior high school, whether it be extortions for public services or bribery.
"It was important for us to have this pledge, as it illustrates our good intentions, our idealism, and this will be our commitment for the future," he said.
SMU No. 13 was one of several schools in Jakarta that started the drive for a Clean Transparent Professional (BTP) generation when the idea was first floated by the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry in 2003.
"We started with the election of BTP students, who would become role models for their peers, provide counseling, and even help teachers in setting up lessons," SMU 13 counselor-teacher Dwi Daryani said, explaining that each school semester 10 students from each class were directly elected by their peers to become a BTP student.
This was the fifth semester that Jainal Abidin, 17, was appointed BTP student by his friends. He said that while the responsibility was heavy, it has also strengthened his resolve to never resort to unfair practices.
"If I want to provide an example for others, I have to start with myself first, by never cheating on my tests, and not to slack off even when class is canceled," Jainal, who hopes to study chemical engineering at the University of Indonesia, said.
The school also boasts a BTP store, selling snacks and school equipment, that relies on students's honesty as the store has no attendant and customers are free to leave money and take their own change.
"Sometimes students take things and pay for them the next day, but so far we have no major problems with this system," Dwi said.
With the pledge on Friday, SMU No. 13 aims at starting BTP drives in other schools across Jakarta, in the hope that some day every student in the country will hold the "Student's Pledge".
"We have to be optimistic, this must work, if we want to have a better future," Jainal said.