As agents of change, youth are expected to participate maintaining the integrity of Indonesia. This corresponds to the third principle of Pancasila that states “the unity of Indonesia”. After the 2019 General Election, Indonesia faces many political dynamics that can lead to schisms. Departing from the circumstance, students of Public Relations and Advertising 2016 of Department of Communication Science of Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta (UMY) conducted a talk show entitled Youthnity (Youth and Unity). The talk show aims to provide education and plant the spirit of unity in the minds of youth of Yogyakarta.
Tariq Hidayat, initiator of Bantul Bergerak, stated that contentions and schisms become problematic issues faced by Indonesian people after the 2019 General Election. Especially in terms of the two presidential candidates that split people into two main camps. This, in fact, becomes a threat to the unity of Indonesia. He continued, “Social media becomes an alternative to support the two candidates. Millennials possess a vast access to utilize the social media. Hence, as the agents of change, they should harness social media as a means to integrate all the people, and not to spread fake news.”
Moreover, Tariq also engages all audiences to be sustainable agents of change. “After the election, many of us feel allergic to divergence and diversity, whereas Indonesia is a country consists of various ethics, religions, races, and cultures,” declared Tariq at Go-Food Festival Kampung Tugu on Monday (20/5). He added, “The National Awakening Day should remind us that youth possess a great role to build the national unity. We should become educated youth that can unify the nation.”
Essentially, it will be a historical sin for all youth if they cannot be the agents of change. “Youth should construct politics as a means to create welfare. As good scholars, we are obliged to seek the truth and righteousness. People are poisoned with fake news and hoaxes, so we must inform them to read credible news and do not be hesitate to render explanation related to veritable news,” ended Tariq.
