The Commitment to Maintain and Nurse the NKRI: the Important Message for Harkitnas at IPB
Bogor Agricultural University (IPB) held the ceremony of Hari Kebangkitan Nasional (Harkitnas National Awakening Day) at the Rectorate Ground in front of Andi Hakim Nasoetion Building, IPB Campus, Dramaga, on 22 May 2017. During which, Rector of IPB, Prof. Dr. Herry Suhardiyanto, read remarks by the Minister of Research, Technology and High Education (Ristekdikti RI). He reminded or reiterated students to keep the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia (NKRI). Indonesia is a democratic country, and it is a country full of diversity, home to numerous different ethnic groups, languages and religions. The Indonesian archipelago is the largest in the world from a single state. It consists, according to the current official account, of 17,508 islands and islets of which about 6,000 are inhabited. It has a total land surface of 5,193,166 sq kl and the third largest country in Asia, currently the populagion of Indonesia is about 254.9 million people. They are consisted of 1,331 ethnic groups, and speak 746 regional languages.
It is the obligation of all Indonesian to consistently maintain, protect for the establishment of NKRI from any threats, both from within and outside the country by applying different principles that contradict the country’s principles and constitution of Indonesia.
"I reiterate again our Commitment for NKRI at this 108th Anniversary of the National Awakening Day, the threat and challenge to the unity of NKRI won’t topped. Currently, with the advent of digital technology, the threat of radicalism and terrorism, for example, gets a new medium for dissemination of understanding of their practices, "said the minister in his written speech.
In addition, we also face the problem of cultural resilience in the Indonesian communities. The emergence of violence and pornography, for example, especially for the young generation, is one of the few major cultural issues of this nation that have recently surfaced and apprehended. Again, a new medium of digital technology plays an important role in the dissemination of information, both positive and negative, rapidly and massively.
Therefore, the Minister of Research and Technology was happy as he learned that "Mengukir Makna Kebangkitan Nasional dengan Mewujudkan Indonesia yang Bekerja Nyata, Mandiri dan Berkarakter = Engraving the Meaning of National Awakening by Realizing a Real Working, Independent and Characteristic Indonesia" is taken as the theme for the year 2017 National Awakening Day. The theme shows that whatever challenges we encounter today we must answer by focusing on real work independently and characteritically.
Menristekdikti argues that the use of international dimension was emphasized for the themes. Our real work, our independence, and our character are focused into the situation that we have become increasingly important as we compete in an ever-widening global marketplace. Competition is no longer arises from the neighbour countries, but we must continue working together into the future to thrive in today's competitive global markets, as we have to compete with our global counterparts. We have to improve our ability to be the competitive nation.
Interpreting the National Awakening Day 2017, the Minister urged all Indonesian citizens to work hard according to their respective capacity and roles to enhance the spirit of "Trisakti" namely political sovereignty, self-sufficiency in economy and have a distinct character in culture. "If we are consistent, I believe this self-reliance will bring prosperity to Indonesia for development of the nation, to become a developed and competitive nation in the international arena," added the Minister. (Wied)
