Indonesian people ought reconstruct morals and nationalism which are getting diminish. Most of people overlook the values to develop their nation. In fact, to be a developed and sovereign county, Indonesian people have to have high moral and nationalistic values. Indonesia is supposed to be constructed with knowledge and moral values.
The aforementioned paragraph was uttered by Chairman of Muhammadiyah Dr. Haedar Nashir, M.Si. as a speaker of public lecture of new Graduate School students of Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta (UMY). It was conducted on Saturday (3/10) at meeting hall of A.R. Fachruddin B, Floor 5, UMY. It discussed “Muhammadiyah and National Responsibility” and was joined 229 new graduate school students.
Dr. Haedar Nashir conveyed that Indonesian people lose their nationality morals. It was displayed by a lot of money politics, political parties that only think of their interest, liberal political system in Indonesia, and forest fires. “Forest fires show that Indonesian natural resources are governed by foreigners. Talking about economic system, both liberal and neoliberal have got in our economic system. Noticing the facts, most of us have lost our nationality,” he asserted.
He emphasized that the cultures of Indonesian people are getting hedonistic, pragmatic, and materialistic. “Hedonism leads to the decline of nationality and to the indolence of enhancing knowledge. Thus, the enthusiasm of learning and reading is alleviating and Indonesian people will be enchanted by parvenus. It is not surprising that a huge amount of corruption ensues in this country because most people think about their and their group’s interest, they lose their objectivity, and they overlook other people,” stressed Haedar who is also the lecturer of Social and Political Science Faculty of UMY.
Therefore, Muhammadiyah argued that Indonesian people should reconstruct their morals and nationality. “This nation ought to reconstruct the political system which should be underlain Pancasila and religious values, national structure, cultural ethics, constitution, bureaucracy, and cultural values. Muhammadiyah was established and aims at coining modern and good-behaving Indonesian people,” he inserted.
Nevertheless, Haedar was aware that the change process is not simple since thoughts and renewals by Muhammadiyah are often considered uncommand and contrasted to several political parties. “As what K.H. Ahmad Dahlan did in his twenties when he modified qiblah direction from west to northwest, a number of people resisted the renewable. It is what Muhammadiyah is attempting to construct that knowledge and moral values should be the foundation to educated and prosper this nation,” he elucidated.
Haedar continued that the change cannot be carried out by Muhammadiyah itself, yet it needs cooperation and engagement of all Indonesian elements. Moreover, there are five aspects that should be implemented by this nation. First, this nation ought to be established based on knowledge and characters of independence, intelligence, and responsibility. Second, education should be led by the activators. Third, there should be reform leadership. Forth, political institution should be established. Last, public justice should be in good social interaction and existence. “Muhammadiyah tries to enlighten Indonesia to be more developed. Hence, graduate of graduate school of UMY ought to have knowledge and good moral values,” he advised.
