MUHAMMADIYAH.OR.ID, YOGYAKARTA – Distortions are often found in the nation’s policy making and roadmap drafts. They are frequently detached from the fundamental principles of the Preamble, Body and values of the 1945 Constitution.
President of Muhammadiyah Haedar Nashir said that the distortions should not occur anymore. Each policy, law, and roadmap draft must refer to and elaborate the Preamble, Body, and values of the 1945 Constitution.
Haedar, the Professor of Sociology, mentioned one of the distortions that the national education roadmap does not integrate religious values; indeed, they are derogated. It also does not encompass the Preamble, Body, and Values of the 1945 Constitution.
“The national education roadmap draft hardly expands Article 31 of the 1945 Constitution. On the other hand, the article vividly mentions the national education is founded upon faith, piety, and noble character. The development of education is based on religious values and national unity,” said Haedar in the Forum Group Discussion (FGD) on the National Long-Term Development Plan (RPJPN) 2025-2045 conducted by the Muhammadiyah Council for Higher Education, Research, and Development at the SM Tower and Convention on Monday (July 3).
Religion, alongside Pancasila (the national ideology) and the Noble Culture of the Nation, is one of the fundamental values deeply ingrained in this nation. Haedar asserts that Indonesia would merely be a physical entity lacking in spirit and soul without those three fundamental values.
Indonesia’s Fundamental Values
Those three fundamental values balance the development of Indonesia. They underlie the infrastructure advancement and become the nation’s soul propelling this nation.
Quoting Supomo, Indonesia built after independence as a living country is not merely a collection of physical structures, but it possesses a soul. This viewpoint aligns with that of Sukarno.
“We often see the nation’s plans neglecting those three aspects, resulting in core value-disjointing or fragmenting formulations,” criticized Haedar.
The book “Indonesia Berkemajuan” (Progressive Indonesia) published by the Central Board of Muhammadiyah in 2019 stated that the nation is currently experiencing stagnation—a state that thinking has come to a halt, it does not regress, and it move forward but it is disconnected from its past.
Furthermore, this thinking has also undergone distortion, deviating from the fundamental values it should adhere to, and following new ideas that are not in line with its core principles. For example, Indonesia is induced to adopt a secular state model to be a developed country.
Another disruptive thinking is the emergence of extreme ideologies within the nation’s elements and the nation itself. In contrast, the founding fathers of this nation shared common ground on various fundamental aspects, embracing a moderate perspective that seeks balance.
“But this middle ground is eclectic, so ‘moderate’ is not strictly centered and always linear,” said Haedar.
Religion Propels the Nation’s Development
A moment to separate religion and the state seems about to happen since religion is presumed a reason for many issues. On the other hand, religious communities sometimes lack an understanding of their faith and fail to grasp the social contexts or the changing times they face.
This second aspect has led to the emergence of rigid religious practices that solely focus on symbolic rituals and superficial aspects of religious practices. Such misguided perspectives on religion keep the faithful stuck in a stagnant state, engrossed in unnecessary and endless debates that do not contribute to any development.
Regarding the issue of time, Haedar emphasized the importance of having a global Islamic calendar to bridge the frequent differences among Muslims, as these differences often drain their energy and lead to unproductive debates. In the context of unity among Muslims, Muhammadiyah plays a crucial role by offering alternatives through the development of intellectual frameworks relevant to today’s world.
“Even in this day and age, why do we still cling to outdated beliefs when others have moved forward? The sun, moon, and earth operate with precision. Once they revolve, they continue to do so. They do not regress, unlike our watches that we can adjust backward,” said Haedar.
It is vital that Indonesia cannot and should not be secularized as religion and the religious community are integral parts of Indonesian identity. They represent the soul that breathes life into the great entity, known as Indonesia.
