My view on Pancasila

Habibie made mention of a number of reasons for the “disappearance” of the bases of the State Philosophy Pancasila which had been proclaimed/enunciated ion 1 June 1945. Among them were the systematic and massive mystification and ideologisation of Pancasila which occurred in the New Order Era. It was even the case that during that period the bases of the State Philosophy were used asan ideological weapon to launch vigorous attacks on sections of the Community which were not like-minded with the government.

The interpretation of the Pancasila was monopolized by those in power. The result of all this was that after the implementation of Reformation there was a tendency for the Pancasila to be forgotten. A proportion of the Community developed an allergy for the Pancasila because they regarded it as the possession of the New Order. In fact the National philosophy which is at the same time the foundation of the State, is not the possession of just one regime but rather the possession of us all.

It could well be that the view of Pak Habibie is correct. But the point of view I wish to put forward is that our mindset has been wrong from the beginning. It is not the Pancasila which is wrong or not good and valuable but rather our understanding of the Pancasila which has floed from and been distilled from the thoughts of the Creators/Designers of the Pancasila. This means the value system which is in our individual minds versus the value system which is in the minds of the People themselves. This means that perfect ideals are compares/contrasted as if they are in the minds of our Leaders who declare that the Pancasila is increasingly distant from the life of the Community/People. Clearly to measure/evaluate the living values against the dreaming values.

What is the explanation for us to be so far distant from the lives of People in relation to our interpretation of the Pancasila? If I adhere to the principle of Belief in the Unity of Almighty God by divine decree by only 10% have I not yet committed myself/dedicated myself to the Pancasila? If the Community only carries out the principle of Acting in a humane just and civilized manner to the extent of 5%, does that show something is wrong? If there is a Province which wishes to secede from NKRI (the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia does that show a reverence for or dedication to the Pancasila or otherwise? In the event that we choose Voting instead of Consultation is that contrary to the spirit of the Pancasila? If the sentiment of social justice is not yet spread evenly across the community are such People outside the ambit of Pancasila?

The reality outlined above represents the living values which are then directed to a quality of life which is in accordance with the perfect ideals as sealed/contained in the Principles of the Pancasila. As to what represent the perfect ideals. Let us each move to an understanding of this in accordance with the framework of our own thinking and our Field of or Life Experiences

Is it true that the 1945 Constitution and the Pancasila are the foundations of the Republic of Indonesia? Since the Proclamation of Independence we have experienced constant turmoil which has resulted in the shedding of much blood. This is the product of our Constitution. In the end Bung Karno was overthrown. Pak Harto was finally slid out of the way. Pak Habibie was rejected by his own Party. Gus Dur managed to hang on to the position of President until he was impeached. Megawati’s partnership with Hamzah Hazz was broken. They both wanted to take over the position of President. SBY and JK “divorced” Because they both wanted to be President. Now Vice-President Boediono is considered to have failed Because he cannot work and cooperate harmoniously as was the case with JK. In fact when JK was Vice-President his functions were overlapping with the President.

Just think if the basis of the Republic of Indonesia was a strong Community Economy. The orientation of our Nation would be focused on the strength of the economic underpinnings as the foundation of our State. Because a powerful state depends very much on the economic power of the People. When the Community Economy is strong the foundations of the State are correspondingly strong and steadfast. When the foundations are so strong the development of the State above it is correspondingly strong and steadfast. In such a situation the values of the Pancasila will be more meaningful and will the more easily be applied or brought into reality by the People. We can understand that the root cause of the problems our Nation faces finally can be classified/accumulated as economic problems whether they represent injustice or need.

Let us use as a benchmark China and San Min Chui. The first Minzu frees the nation from foreign domination and opposes the nationalism of tribalism. The second principle of Minquan is Democracy that is the principle of power of the People, a Nation governed by the power of the People. Whilst the third principle is Minsheng that is the principle of welfare. How terrific this was in the communist political system. Dr Sun Yat Sen applied these three principles in a simple and strategic way with the result that in the end China became the world power it is today.

France also has three principles Liberty Equality and Fraternity to the extent that that Nation has become a very elegant one on the face of the Earth.

The United States of America with its Declaration of Independence has brought that Nation to the status of Super Power and gives inspiration to all the Peoples of the World.

Whether it is in the United States or China or France we never hear their Leaders repeatedly giving speeches exhorting the Community to be virtuous in implementing those three principles, except in Indonesia

Resiko Politik Pencalonan Bang Ical

Tentu saja semua ada resikonya, tetapi pencalonan Bang Ical menjadi Calon Presiden Presiden RI 2014 yang akan datang, menjadi fenomenal perpolitikan di negeri ini. Peristiwa ini tidak melanggar konvensi internal Golkar apalagi melanggar hukum. Namun demikian kita dapat bertanya, gerangan apa sebenarnya yang terjadi dibalik pencalonan ARB tersebut? Karena ada terkesan grusa grusu, terlalu dipaksakan atau mungkin semacam akal2an. Karena kalau kita melihat tata aturan pencalonan Calon Presiden di negeri ini, pencalonan ARB menjadi beresiko!.

Indonesia, walalau dinyatakan sebagai penganut system Presidential, tetapi dalam prakteknya aplikasi system parlementer masih dilaksanakan. Rancu. Sehingga kadang-kadang kita merasakan sesuatu yang absurd alias janggal dan bahkan aneh. Salah satu pasal pencalonan Presiden dan wakil Presiden dalam UUD 1945 ini dibolehkan dari kubu partai politik yang berbeda, bila calon ybs tidak dapat memenuhi persyaratan minimal raihan kursi di DPR.

Berkaitan dengan pencalonan Bang Aburizal Bakri, bila Golkar tidak dapat memenuhi kursi di DPR yang memungkinkan mengajukan menjadi Calon Presiden, terus bagaimana sikap Golkar? Atau hanya bia menjadi sebagai Calon Wakil Presiden saja, bagaimana? Pengalaman masa lalu, bahwa partai yang besar tidak identik dan serta merta bisa meloloskan calonnya menjadi Presiden RI, contohnya Golkar sendiri (Wiranto) dan PDI-P (Megawati), pada pemilu 2004, kalah oleh Partai Demokrat (SBY), yang hanya maraih suara 6% di DPR. Pada Pemilu 2009, SBY maju sendiri tanpa di dampingi wakil Presiden ex partai dan menang!. Ini artinya apa? Partai yang besar tidak menjadi jaminan mememangkan PilpRes, PilGub atau bahkan PilBup. Dalam system Presidential, esensinya adalah orang memilihi orang, bukan memilih Partai. Jadi kemenangan seseorang, bukan karena faktor daya dukung partainya, akan tetapi karena “populeritas” dirinya alias orangnya dimata pemilihnya.

Karena itu, atas dasar asumsi tersebut, maka kita dapat mengukur tingkat elektabilitas Abu Rizal Bakri dari integritas personalnya. Ia sosok yanag sangat piawai dalam mengelola berbagai pemilihan untuk dirinya, baik takkala untuk ketua Umum Kadin maupun Ketua Umum Golkar. Pertanyaannya, mampuhkah ARB sekarang mengelola rakyat yang heterogen ini tersebar di seluruh nusantara? Berkemampuankah mesin Politik Golkar menggiring rakyat pemilih agar menjatuhkan pilihannya kepada ARB? Bagaimana mengelola opini negatif yang mungkin akan di kembangkan oleh pihak lawan politik, seperti persoalan KKN dirinya, Penggelapan Pajak (?), Kasus Lapindo, dll.

Secara pribadi, saya percaya kalau ARB berkemampuan mengurus negara ini menjadi lebih baik, karena saya tahu siapa beliau (sama sama di Kadin), tetapi yg masih meragukan saya adalah, apakah rakyat Indonesia akan memilihnya? Wallahu alam bi sawab.

How Important Religion For Indonesian

According to a 2000 census, almost 88% of Indonesians declared Islam as their religion, firmly consolidating the country’s status as the most populous Muslim-majority nation in the world. While 9% are Christian, 2% Hindu and 1% Buddhist.

When I was small I was often taught, even told, to learn by heart concerning the Pillars of Faith/Belief and the Pillars of Islam. The Pillars of Faith/Belief such as Belief in God, in the Prophets before the Prophet Muhammad God bless him, the Sacred Books before the Qur’an, Belief in Angels, and Belief in Divine Decree together with Belief in the Day of Judgment.

This Dogma can easily be explained authentically like the verse from Al Qur’an, in particular a verse from Al Hajj as follows “ya ayuhannasu ittaku robbakum” which means “Oh! Humankind be devout to (worship) your Gods”. I take the word robbakum to mean God. The God of Islam is Allah, The Hindu God is Sangyang Widiwase, The Jewish God is Adonai, and the Christian God is Allah (but read Alah).
In connection with Christmas, the Islamic Community almost throughout the world officially holds fast to the decrees of the Religious Teachers that to greet a person with “Merry Christmas” fits in with our tenets of tolerance and acceptance of other’s beliefs. It is a question of the attitude to a friend, or tolerance between religious communities, that we are able to participate in the Christmas festivities without it conflicting with our beliefs.

ABC TV Australia in a programme leading up to Christmas featured a report from Jakarta. This programme did indeed attract my attention because it reported on how Christmas was received and welcomed in Jakarta Malls. What touched me deeply was when a mother wearing a head scarf (jilbab) made the statement that she was very happy with Malls which were decorated with Christmas decorations (in the traditional Christmas way). There were Christmas Trees, Santa Claus, snow with all the other things we see which are associated with Christmas. The rhythm and tunes of the music are what is associated with Christmas. White Christmas. The shop assistants wore clothing of various colors such as Santa wears together with the distinctive hat.

It is my impression that when Australians see this program their opinion will change little by little. In the minds of some westerners, Islam is regarded as very hard, cruel or even barbaric such as the way they regard Amrozi and his associates who murdered hundreds of innocent people in the Bali bombings.

The attitude of the lady wearing her jilbab represents indeed the attitude of the modern world who cannot deny that the existence of differences is a certainty. The Pillar of Belief guides us to believe and have faith in the sacred texts of the Al Qur’an and to believe in the Prophets before Muhammad. We can show our appreciation to that mother wearing her jilbab, and be indeed proud of the local wisdom which indeed is inherent in our culture.

Let us think about the positioning of Borobudur (Buddhist) and Prambanan (Hindu) temples they are not too far from each other. The significance of this is that Buddhists and Hindus could live close to one another in harmony at that time. It also represents the rise and fall of powers, and war fare between kingdoms.

Finally I wish to quote again from Al Qur’an “I created the Nations and the Tribes so that you can all get to know one another. And in my eyes they are the most pious and devout”.

But we have a long way to go until we have reached tolerance. Western influences deemed by some authorities as anti-Islam was the reason why Lady Gaga was denied permission in Indonesia. The reason for her cancellation, authorities argued, is that she resembled “a devil worshiper.” Maybe if she dressed up as Santa’s helper, she might have been welcomed!