Dinda Shabrina, Jakarta – A collective of professors and scholars under the Interdisciplinary Intellectual Forum (FIAD) has raised alarms over various problems gripping the nation. The academics convened to present a manifesto charting a path forward for a just, democratic, sovereign, and sustainable Indonesia.
FIAD member Theddeus Prasetyono, familiarly known as Teddy, urged scholars nationwide to step out of their comfort zones, emphasizing that the academic community can no longer remain silent on the critical issues unsettling the country.
"This is no longer a time for us to be in our comfort zones," Teddy said during the manifesto reading at Taman Ismail Marzuki, Jakarta, on Thursday, August 13, 2026.
He noted that at least 80 intellectuals have joined the forum. The members represent diverse academic disciplines with multiple expertise.
Teddy stated that all of them have put their thoughts together to formulate the problems occurring in Indonesia and the demands that must be addressed. Some of the intellectuals who read the manifesto included Sulistyowati Irianto, Manneke Budiman, Premana Permadi, Wening Udasmoro, and Arie Sujito.
This manifesto views national renewal as requiring a long-term, cross-disciplinary approach and cross-sectoral practices. Teddy stated that the crisis facing the nation is a governance crisis that has festered for years. "This requires a gradual, targeted, and consistent transformation agenda," he said.
Fellow professor Sulistyowati Irianto outlined three complementary horizons for change proposed by FIAD. The initial stage prioritizes rescuing state institutions and arresting democratic decay. "The second phase centers on institutional reform and building state capacity," Sulis explained.
The final phase envisions a transformation toward an Indonesia that honors its constitutional mandate while effectively tackling 21st-century challenges. Additionally, the forum is calling on the government to halt democratic backsliding and political degradation within a 12-month window.
Sulis stressed that the group's immediate priority is ending governance practices that violate constitutional principles and restoring public confidence in state institutions. "This agenda aims to create a foundation that will enable deeper reforms in the next phase," she said.
Source: https://en.tempo.co/read/2117433/professors-urge-academics-to-step-up-for-national-refor