Amid the phenomenon of the strengthening of identity politics and hate politics and the erosion of unity and diversity, the government is campaigning for Pancasila Week.
The event, which is taking place from May 29 to June 4, is being held in conjunction with the commemoration of Pancasila\'s Birthday, June 1. The commemoration of the birth of Pancasila is based on a speech by first president Soekarno in a session of the Committee for Preparatory Work for Indonesian Independence (BPUPKI) on June 1, 1945, which carried imperative messages for the future. Pancasila constituted the meeting of Indonesian diversity with values developed from the motherland.
Throughout its history, Pancasila has repeatedly experienced turbulence. For dozens of years it was politicized for the sake of power. After the reform era started it was hardly discussed in public circles, even nearly forgotten. Several years later, people started to realize how Pancasila is rich and full of meaning.
The formation of various Pancasila assessment institutions and the publication of books on Pancasila show that there still a passion to enliven it. In terms of their formula of words and sentences, the five principles of Pancasila are complete. However, as an open ideology, Pancasila demands a new meaning that is actual and practicable.
A poll conducted by the Kompas research and development section from May 24 to 26 showed that 43.6 percent of respondents considered Pancasila to be a factor for the unity of the nation. Therefore, the values contained in the five principles should not simply be defined, but have to be developed into living norms and mindsets.
The five principles need to become a work ethic of the government and state. Pancasila is a historical fact that must be lived up to. In everyday circumstances, the existence of Pancasila has not been utilized as an adhesive. Pancasila is only used for political jargon, not united with the breath of life of the nation and state.
Pancasila has not become an ideology that is working. In such a condition, opposite ideologies easily enter and when everything is open and global, various ideologies offer themselves as references, unintentionally threatening the ideological existence of Pancasila.
Pancasila Week needs to be followed up with various strategic and concrete steps, with political regulations that are the farthest thing from justifying the hunt for power by any means. Do not let the future generations get used to watching life without any good examples from public figures and the political elite.
The campaign "I am Indonesian, I am Pancasila" without any follow-up has the potential to become political jargon. The process of initiating people into Pancasila values becomes wasteful.