YOGYAKARTA – A country needs to rebuild the spirit of sensitivity among the youth about national problems through national social solidarity. The best way to develop and maintain youth sensitivity is through education and culture, followed by examples given by leaders and senior people in the context of community environment. This emerged in a national seminar on the concept of nationalism within the framework of National Social Solidarity, held in UGM University Club, Wednesday (14/12).
UGM professor as well as expert team leader of UGM Center for Pancasila Studies, Prof. Dr. dr. Sutaryo, Sp. A (K)., said that sensitivity to national solidarity and to national problems at this time is eroded by four issues, namely market fundamentalism, religious fundamentalism, fundamentalism of state power, and geopolitical fundamentalism.
To raise sensitivity to the problems of the nation, the main requirement is to have the spirit of nationalism. This should begin since early childhood, teenager and youth education. "Character education can be started from the womb up to age of 2 years old. This stage is the most optimal formation for the growth of body organs, especially the brain and other organs. Character will begin to be formed after that," this pediatrician said.
He added, the social solidarity for national life which currently exists and agreed upon by the founding fathers is Pancasila. Therefore, the acculturation of Pancasila is required for all levels of Indonesian society. "Pancasila as the state ideology is a strong footing to accommodate the diversity of the nation, directing national and state guidelines as well as the basic form of social solidarity that has Indonesian character," he said.
In the same occasion, a politician, Ir. Siswono Yudo Husodo, agrees that social solidarity movement needs to be re-encouraged amid the weakening of Sense of Decency (sensitivity of propriety) in the community. Due to unavailability of sense of propriety, it is no longer important to act appropriately, because the public respect material matters more. "People do something inappropriately in public and this occurs at all levels," he said.
According to Siswono, social solidarity will develop in a situation which has optimism about the future of nation while state goals are accepted by all elements of society. However, this is constrained by the declining quality of leadership. "Today our leaders are more conscious about image building rather than work performance, also there is institutional culture of dumping responsibility to others," he said.
To reporters, Chairman of Karang Taruna (youth groups) of Yogyakarta, GKR Pembayun, explained the peak of this year’s national social solidarity is held in Yogyakarta. Various series of events that will be held on 19 December are charity events, blood donation, medical check-up and free medical treatment, and construction of decent houses.