The anniversary of the declaration of Pancasila is attributed to Bung Karno\'s historic speech in front of the first official session of the Agency for the Preparatory Work for Indonesian Independence (BPUPKI).
The proclaimer was one of the 62 members of the newly created agency of the Japanese colonial rulers. The agency consisted of professionals, academics, politicians, the nobles, who had different beliefs and ethnicities (including four Chinese, one Japanese and a person of Dutch descent). The BPUPKI was assigned to draw up fundamental ideas on which, according to Bung Karno, "was built on an eternally Free Indonesia". Those ideas distinguish Indonesia from the empire of Japan or the Kingdom of the Netherlands or other countries. Therefore, Bung Karno emphasized that the basis of the state had to be a joint agreement with the founders of the nation, not a mere political compromise.
Pancasila ideology proved successful to be the foundation of building a Free Indonesia. The problem is, the construction of the building was skewed and endangering its occupants. In fact, philosophically, Pancasila can serve as a central ideology to get out of the trap of religious fundamentalism and market fundamentalism. Religions and economy in the respective ways play an important role for the life of a nation, but religious radicalization and free market (laissez-faire) only makes the nation get uprooted from the roots of life.
Pancasilaist nation
Indonesia should be the Pancasilaist nation in its modern religious characters as the formulation of Belief in One Supreme God (first principle). The identity of ancient people in the Middle East, for example, was identical with religions. Despite the polytheism background, there is the prominent adoration for each nation and usually it is the one which is usually considered to be the most meritorious in the victory of war. Marduk for the Babylonians, Chemos for the Moabites, Amun-Ra with Osiris for the Egyptians. The adorations are nationalistic-territorial.
Divine (abrahamic) monotheistic religions have a fundamental difference with the cross-nationalistic-territorial character. However, Judaism in its practice failed so that nationality based on race and religion is not separated. The foreigners who follow Judaism are distinguished with the call of proselytism, which is still further distinguished with half proselytes (only doing part of Judaism law) and full proselytes (also performing rituals).
Such a discriminative mentioning is not found in other abrahamic religions, which since their inception have been cross nationalistic-territorial. It is now known, for example, the term "Christian nation". Even if later the nations colonized by the West identified their invaders as Christians, that is just perception. De facto, very few Western countries which we know today include Christianity in the constitution (Britain, Greece, Norway and Denmark), even without a claim as a Christian state or nation.
Christianity initially also flourished among the Arab nations, including later becoming part of Arab-Palestine. The Indonesian word "Allah", for example, is absorbed from the Arabic vocabulary and has been used by the Arab-Christians as the equivalent of the word "Elohim" (Hebrew), Theos (Greek), or Deus (Latin).
Other major religions, Islam, Hinduism and Buddhism, pass through the ages because they leave their nationalistic-territorial characteristics behind until reaching Indonesia. The religious characters of the Indonesian nation is not defined by one religion, because the reality of its nationhood is diversity. Unity in diversity is bound by Pancasila. In his speech, Bung Karno emphasized nationality as the first foundation for the Free Indonesia, "What continuously buzzes inside my soul, not only in several days during the session….but since 1918….is the basis of nationality. We establish a nation state of Indonesia." That is a country "not for one group….but all for all".
Pancasilaist state
Indonesia should be the Pancasilaist state with the principle of the one God as "the metaphysical foundation" to the other principles (Nurcholish Madjid, Indonesia Kita, 109). All activities of the state are related to social democracy (the fourth principle) and economic democracy (fifth principle) which is carried out with a responsible attitude before God who has granted the nation\'s independence. All religions and beliefs are invited to participate in development.
Indonesia is different from many countries that privatize religions. There are even countries that are powerless in protecting from harassment using religious symbols in public spaces. In Indonesia, the cultural face of religion is not denied. A part of the product of legislation cannot be separated from the religious spirit. The inner atmosphere of the nation and state is difficult to separate from religion. With the principle of the one God, Bung Karno referred to the state of Indonesia "where each individual can worship his Lord freely…..carry out their belief in a cultured way, namely without religious egoism."
As a Pancasila state we should be ahead of Singapore. That secular state has never given permission for the operation of Buddha Bar franchise, but we are increasingly tough when the existence of the entertainment venue has become public controversy. A part of Indonesians also wonder why it is so difficult to get permission to build houses of worship.
The state cannot let the religions to run alone without supervision, because in each religion there is the exclusive and at the same time inclusive elements. The state has to be present when the way to practice the religions violates the public civilization and weakens the Unity of Indonesia (the third principle). The state should not only sympathize with the fall of bomb terror victims, but also the suicide bombers who are in fact small people who are provoked by radical teaching. Too long the state is ignorant with the spread of the virus of radicalism in education, bureaucratic, and religious institutions.
The Pancasilaist state is responsible for promoting the religious welfare. In order to do that, it is obligatory to keep religion away from politicization. Religion is not born in the context of political contestation, but against evil and rampant ignorance. However, political pragmatism uses religion as a way to bring down political opponents and the way to grab power. The voice of the people is manipulated as the voice of God.
The state cannot remain silent when the issue of communism wildly circulates in the public space to gain the sympathy and state tools. The state must take action strictly against intolerant politics in the public space. The clergy should not be allowed to let religion be dragged into practical politics. State organizers and clerics should keep the religious dignity, so that the prophetic voice can correct the deviation of power administration and religious welfare for all people without exception. Ideologically, Pancasila is the final meeting point between religions and nationalism. However, Pancasila should not stop only to be effective on the state ideology level, but also must be the identity of the nation, becoming the ideology of the nation. However, grounding Pancasila demands a radical attitude.
Social Justice for All Indonesian People (the last principle) is the final aim of the statehood. The state organizers have to act as administrators of justice by minimizing the social inequalities. The poor also feel the state which is proactive to present justice by intervening on the legal process, which is not fair.
Didin, a roasted corn seller, who happened to be looking for sonari worms alone in Gunung Gede Pangrango National Park, Cianjur. However, he was indicted under an article on destructing tens of hectares of forest areas with the threat of a maximum sentence of 10 years and therefore has to be detained while awaiting trial. Because he is the backbone of his family, the arrest makes his wife to work very hard in search for food. Small people also want to understand and abide by the law, but do not let the state hurt their hearts with such a detention while the rich and powerful cannot be arrested.
As long as the Pancasila fundamentalism is not a tool to beat the political opponents or maintain power, the state leaders have to educate their people to become Pancasilaist nation and make Indonesia Pancasilaist state in daily practice. People have to see the real values of Pancasila in their daily lives. The people have to see the fifth principle as a guide to the movement of the life of the nation.
YONKY KARMAN
Lecturer of School of Theological Philosophy
