Former Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia, Professor Mahfud MD, stated that there is currently a tendency toward moral decline among executive, legislative, and judicial officials.
This is indicated by the number of officials who do not feel ashamed when caught violating the law.
“It turns out that there are many hypocrites in our government. They do something wrong but feel no guilt. They commit actions violating societal morals and decency but feel it’s okay because the court has not declared them guilty,” explained Professor Mahfud.
This speech was delivered during a panel discussion titled “Moral Reflection on the Actualization of Pancasila in National and State Life,” which was held on Thursday (Sep. 26) at the UGM campus as part of the 12th Pancasila Congress.
Dr. Sukidi, a scholar from PP Muhammadiyah, emphasized that addressing this moral decline requires a strong character education system.
According to him, one way to improve the nation with the spirit of Pancasila is through character education.
“The effort to improve this nation with the spirit of Pancasila is through character education because character determines our quality as human beings,” he emphasized.
During the discussion session, some participants raised concerns about education funding, which is perceived as not being prioritized by the state, and the possibility of implementing meritocracy.
Dr. Sukidi suggested that one solution for education funding is to bring all stakeholders together to ensure quality education, particularly for the poor.
Regarding the possibility of implementing meritocracy, Dr. Sukidi responded that meritocracy can indeed be applied in Indonesia, even amidst the prevalent feudalism and seniority in our society.
“Is meritocracy possible in a culture like ours, which adheres to feudalism, seniority, and hierarchical systems? Perhaps you’ve noticed where Lee Kuan Yew’s parents are from—he was born in Semarang. Lee Kuan Yew became a key architect of how meritocracy became the cornerstone of Singapore’s progress,” he explained.
Author: Hanif
Editor: Gusti Grehenson
Post-editor: Afif