Pancasila as the Nation's Solution - Youth Need Contemporary Embodiment of Classic Values

Youth believe that Pancasila is the best solution for the various problems facing the nation. What they need is to learn is how to incorporate the values of Pancasila into their daily lives in country as diverse as Indonesia.

Based on the latest poll by Kompas Research and Development Division (Litbang Kompas), the older and younger generations have different perspectives on the importance of incorporating the values of Pancasila into daily life (Kompas, 30/5/2016).

The older generation is defined as people aged 35 years and above, while the young is defined as those between 17 and 35 years old. The basis of this grouping is their respective ages at the beginning of the Reform Era in 1998-1999. The older generation are those who came of age, or reached 17 years of age, at the time.

According to the poll, the younger and older generations both fully agree with and accept the tenets of Pancasila. However, young respondents interpret the state's foundation in more skeptical and critical ways.

Of the young respondents, 61.8 percent wished that the interpretation of Pancasila was not exclusively done by the state. Of the older group, only 47.9 percent were of the opinion that there was a need for Pancasila to be reinterpreted.

A number of young public figures interviewed for the poll by Kompas (30/5/2016) were of the opinion that there should be no debate on Pancasila's noble values.

"Pancasila is just as relevant now as it was in the past, and will continue to be for as long as the nation exists," said archer Dellie Threesyadinda, 26, who won a gold medal at the 2013 SEA Games in Myanmar.

Throughout her career, Dellie said she truly felt how people live by Pancasila's third principle, namely Unity in Diversity. "When we participate in competitions abroad, we no longer care what region we come from. All of us have been chosen to represent Indonesia and we are proud of that. This is truly unity," she said.

Indonesian programmer Khairul Anshar, the initiator of online volunteer movement Kawal Pilkada, said the third principle of Pancasila is the best solution for Indonesia as a very diverse nation. Through Pancasila, diversity is not deemed an obstacle or problem but more as a potential to help each other and exchange expertise and knowledge with one another.

"This value is more relevant today as I see people trying to force their will upon others and their values upon people who have different beliefs. With Pancasila, this should not happen," Khairul said.

Trenggalek Regent Emil Elistianto Dardak said there should be a people's movement to counter the actions of polarizing groups.

Meanwhile, University of Indonesia philosophy lecturer Saras Dewi (33), who is also a writer and singer, sees the relevance of Pancasila's second principle, Just and Civilized Humanity. "All humans want to be understood and appreciated. If society readily appreciates and understands the differences between individuals, this will automatically improve tolerance among people. This prevents injustice and an imbalance in power. This is the main principal in establishing a civilized society," she said.

Pancasila's fifth principle, Social Justice for All, Sarah continued, is highly felt in the context of natural resources management.

The land, the sea and all resources contained within are to be managed for the welfare of all, she said, and therefore this sustainability aspect must not be forgotten. This is also relevant to social gaps that should not have to be resolved in repressive ways that benefit capital owners, she said.

Life values

Young film director Fajar Nugros agreed that Indonesian youth feel that Pancasila remains relevant to the nation's life. However, the embodiment of the values of each principle needs to be formulated in more contemporary forms so that youth do not consider it an outdated state ideology.

Currently, the younger generation seems to have lost these values as each principle in Pancasila is not formulated in contemporary forms. This is despite the fact that there is still great diversity in Indonesia as the tenets of Pancasila have served as life values for people all of this time.

"All five principles of Pancasila must be applied in other, more modern ways as the values are still relevant in today's world. This must be taught at schools. Our founding fathers were visionaries and futuristic enough to be able to formulate Pancasila in such a way that it still serves us well as a nation," Fajar said.

In a "Talking Books with Legislators" discussion in Bandung on Monday, Parahyangan University lecturer Stephanus Djunatan said that Indonesia's first president, Soekarno, formulated Pancasila based on the lifestyles of the people in his era. This made it easy for all national leaders at the time to accept Soekarno's formulation as the foundation of statehood and nationhood. Pancasila united the nation and served as the main weapon in fighting colonialism and imperialism.

Changes occurred when Pancasila came to be viewed as nothing more than an ideology. "We often see Pancasila as something abstract, no more than an ideology or an idea. Pancasila's values have not been implemented as part of our lifestyle," he said.

Such a condition occurred as it is easier for Indonesians to accept foreign values that are not part of national values, he said, adding that amid the rise of information and communication technology, it is easier for foreign values to penetrate our society. Indonesian University of Education lecturer Encep Syarief said that he analogized Pancasila as a compass or a star that lit the way and Indonesia as a huge ship.

"In other words, if people forget Pancasila and its values of brotherhood, helping each other and others and instead care more about their own interests, their egos, pragmatism and hedonism, it will be difficult for the nation to resolve the problems it faces," he added.

Legislator Rahayu Saraswati Djojohadikusumo said she considered Pancasila a miracle. "From Pancasila, we readily understand social justice, the importance of maintaining unity and living in a nation in which the people believe in the one God. There is also the reassurance of law enforcement and other things," she said.

Indonesian Solidarity Party (PSI) chairwoman Grace Natalie said that upholding the values of Pancasila in today's political life can be done through increasing the awareness of youths on the importance of clean politics and not using political parties as mere vehicles to gain power.

Through politics, youth can contribute to improving people's awareness of issues involving humanity, unity, diversity and justice.

"Politics that applies Pancasila values is the politics that encourages a culture of gotong royong (mutual assistance) and an interest in social issues. By becoming involved in politics, young people can help plan policies that better reflect the vales of Pancasila," Grace said.

Source: Kompas, Tuesday, May 31, 2016