M. Taufiqurrahman, Jakarta – Historians called on politicians and state officials Sunday to follow the footsteps of Indonesia's founding fathers, each of whom were willing to discard narrow interests for the sake of common good.
Historian Anhar Gonggong of the University of Indonesia said the country's officials and politicians had discarded their sense of nationhood in favor of narrow political interests and gains.
"You should remember the figures who first set up the national organization Budi Utomo came from various backgrounds, yet they were willing to discard (their differences) and unite," Anhar said Sunday. "But now politicians are bickering over cabinet seats."
Formed early last century when Indonesia was still the Dutch East Indies, Budi Utomo was the country's first political organization to fight for independence from Dutch colonial rule. The organization was established on May 20, 1908, an occasion which is today commemorated as National Awakening Day.
The formation of Budi Utomo generated a newfound fervor among activists to struggle for independence through peaceful means. And in the wake of Budi Utomo's formation, dozens of like-minded organizations were born, each one also striving for the country's independence.
Although not realized for another 37 years, Anhar said the archipelagos independence was thanks to figures like Soekarno, Hatta, Wahidin Sudirohusodo and the first Budi Utomo chairman, Sutomo, each of whom were highly educated and driven men.
Anhar said these men could have joined the Dutch political establishment but they were instead willing to risk jail to promote the country's independence.
"Sadly enough, now many educated figures, professors and teachers land in jail accused of corruption," Anhar said. Anhar also said Indonesia's leaders should redevelop the sense of meaning behind National Awakening Day – to ensure it does not become another meaningless annual ritual.
"Our national heroes fought against Dutch colonial rule, their biggest enemy," he said. "Now the number one adversary is poverty and this plagues many of the country's 64 million people."
Historian Asvi Warman Adam of the Indonesian Institute for Sciences (LIPI) said this year's commemoration of National Awakening Day could serve as a gauge to measure what aims and ideals born through the reform movement had been achieved to-date.
"In conditions like these, National Awakening Day could serve as an important tool to evaluate the ideals of reform," Asvi told Antara.
Ever since the fall of former president Soeharto on May 21, 1998, National Awakening Day has taken on a new meaning. Today it represents the country's freedom from its own home-grown tyrant.
But Asvi said the country had not yet been freed from numerous oppressions in politics and the economy. "We have to fight against these oppressions so that we can save the ideals of reform."