Students pledge to leave sins of forbears' behind

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.