Pancasila as an open ideology has to be taught to all levels of society and interpreted to education curriculum from the elementary level up to university level. Since the reform had been rolled out in 1998, Pancasila has no longer been introduced massively to society and state administrators.
“Every state administrator has to know well the ideology of Pancasila. (It is not right) if they learn about Pancasila after they became state administrators as this put the state in disadvantageous condition,” said expert from UGM Centre for Pancasila Studies, Prof. Sudjito, in a discussion titled Pancasila as Ideology in State and Nation Lives, held in Santika Hotel Yogyakarta on Thursday (3/3). The discussion that was organised by the Centre in collaboration with People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR) presented experts, academics, public figures as well as six parliamentarian members, including Ruhut Sitompul and Martin Hutabarat.
Sudjito assumed there are many state administrators who do not know the Pancasila ideology very well, so the legislations they produced contradicting the Pancasila. According to Sudjito, candidates for state administrators ought to know it well before they are tasked with state duties. “Pancasila as an ideology is very important, but Pancasila as an ideology is never taught. At universities, even ideology course is not taught to students, this is very unfortunate,” he explained.
Researches done by the Centre previously showed of 426 laws produced by the People’s Legislative Assembly (DPR) from 2008-2011, there were 102 being questioned at the Constitutional Court. “That is a quarter of the laws already produced that went questioned,” said Head of the Centre, Dr. Heri Santoso.
Heri explained such laws were related to substance and procedures on the drafting that are contrary to the Pancasila ideology.
Meanwhile, Martin Hutabarat, admitted the strengthening of Pancasila as an ideology had been abandoned after the reform. But, introduction to Pancasila is not merely the duty of the MPR but also the government. “Socialisation of the fourth state pillars is actually not the duty of the MPR, the MPR should be more on strategic issues related to sovereignty. Socialising it has to be carried out by the executive,” he said.
UGM philosophy professor, Prof Kaelan, said after the reform, many people seemed to be unwilling to talk about Pancasila, “(This is) Embarassing, the philosophy of Pancasila seems to be buried by its own nation,” he said. The fact is, Kaelan said, nations that are successful are supported by a strong philosophy and adhered to by its citizens.