Defending Pancasila from Radicalism and Other Ideologies

Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Wiranto has called on universities to tackle the spread of ideologies that are opposed to the nation's founding principles of Pancasila. Universities are expected to take part in countering ideologies that are not in line with Pancasila. It was important that academics use the freedom they had in academia to build the nation in accordance with the principles of Pancasila. If there is another ideology existing besides Pancasila, that would create chaos and instability.

Meanwhile, Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University deputy rector Yusron Razak, who attended the meeting, acknowledged that many types of discourses that are anti-Pancasila had emerged in his university.

However, the university could not just ban such discourse because it was essentially a place where anyone was free to express his or her thoughts. Yusron said the thing that should be avoided and anticipated was potential conflict arising as a result of the ideological differences. It is the police that should step in to prevent any possible conflicts among students or members of society.

As Jakartans are still reeling from the most divisive gubernatorial election the city has ever seen, which exacerbated sectarianism and fanned anti-Chinese sentiments, some citizens have called on the government to protect the capital from any threat from radicals.
 
On Wednesday the State Palace, as well as the headquarters of the National Police, the Jakarta Police and the Indonesian Military (TNI), were adorned with dozens of flower boards bearing messages calling on the government to curb radicalism.

"We are ready to support the military and the police to eradicate radicalism and maintain the unity of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia [NKRI]," read one flower board that had been put on the front yard of the Jakarta Police headquarters in Senayan, South Jakarta.

"Save the NKRI, curb radicalism," read another flower board. The two flower boards were among more than 20 flower arrangements set up at the police's headquarters. The act and deemed it to be part of the nation's democracy.
 
Flower boards were also sent to the State Palace as a token of gratitude to President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo for his role in maintaining Pancasila as the state ideology. The senders, however, also pointed out that the police and the military were still an important part of guarding Jakarta from the threat of disunity and radicalism.

The gesture came a few weeks after the Jakarta runoff election, described by experts as the country's most polarizing election with racial and religious issues overshadowing the city's most critical problems, including education and infrastructure.

Riding a growing wave of religious conservatism, former culture and education minister Anies Baswedan won the election, beating incumbent Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama, who was dogged by allegations he had committed blasphemy while seeking election.
Some political experts said Anies owed his success in the runoff election to Muslim voters who decided to throw their support behind him, mobilized by Muslim groups, including the hard-line Islam Defenders Front (FPI).

Following Ahok's loss in the election, thousands of people showed their support for the governor by turning City Hall into a jungle of colorful flower boards last week. Admirers sent flower boards to express their sympathy, sadness, or support for Ahok and Deputy Governor Djarot Saiful Hidayat, who conceded defeat in the April 19 election ahead of the official announcement of the results.
 
A political analyst from Indo Barometer, M. Qodari, said that the flowers sent to the military and the police headquarters were a clear sign that there were some Jakarta residents who were worried about the impact of the election. The flowers as a "cry for help" from Jakarta residents, besides being a token of gratitude to law enforcement officers. Messages on other flower arrangements called for the police to arrest FPI leader Rizieq Shihab and to disband his organization.

Defending Pancasila, Curbing Radicalism
    
However, being admitted or not, radicalism, intolerant and terrorisme have jeopardized our national security and our national interest. Growing of those threats might be impacted from "un-controlled" freedom of expression and freedom of democratization in Indonesia.
    
Recently, we heard about spreading of a transnational ideology in Indonesian society which is promoting by Hizbut Tahrir Indonesia (HTI) through the idea of "caliphate-system" and which is promoting by Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) through politicizing of Ahok's blasphemy case which have been solved through judiciary process according to Indonesian judiciary system.
    
The threats of radicalism, intolerant and terrorism have been had a "perfect circuumstances" in Indonesia because according to Setara Institute's research had been shown that an intolerant spirit is an early step to be radicalism and terrorism spirit. The core of those problems are coming from teacher, parents and an internet. Later, radicalism viruses and a transnational ideology threats which have been promoted to several universities in Indonesia.
    
Finally, the core business to eliminate radicalism and defending Pancasila from a transnational ideology didn't give to just only to an intelligence and security apparatus itself, but those big challenge must have been tackled by all of stakeholders in Indonesia. One of strategy to curb radicalism and an intolerant spirit in Indonesia is the brave of government has tested to abondon HTI and its has been supported by a majority of Indonesian people. So, what is waiting by Indonesian government to ban HTI?.

*) The writer is a one of founder of Center of Risk Strategic Intelligence Assessment (Cersia). Living in East Jakarta. His earned his master at KSI programe at the University of Indonesia (UI). Now, he is attempting to get his PhD title.