EN.MUHAMMADIYAH.OR.ID, JAKARTA — Loving Indonesia means giving, not asking for more, much less stealing from the country. Patriotism, Haedar Nashir said, must be expressed through service, responsibility, and a commitment to protecting the public interest. It should not become a means of taking advantage of the state.
Haedar Nashir, President of Muhammadiyah, made the remarks Tuesday (18/8) during a national lecture at the Noerhadi Magetsari Multipurpose Hall at the National Archives of the Republic of Indonesia in Jakarta.
He said Indonesia’s independence was the product of a long struggle involving every part of society. It did not come out of vacuum. Rather, it emerged from physical sacrifice as well as the intellectual and ideological efforts of the country’s founders.
The Organizations that Prepared a Nation for Independence
One important phase of Indonesia’s national struggle began in the early 20th century. At the moment, civic, nationalist, and religious organizations began to emerge.
These organizations did more than pursue political goals. They also established schools and health services, promoted literacy, encouraged economic self-reliance, and cultivated national consciousness.
Haedar quoted Muhammadiyah, founded by KH Ahmad Dahlan in 1912, as one example. The organization developed a modern Islamic education system that brought together religious teachings, scientific knowledge, and a commitment to the nation.
Over time, the movement expanded through schools, hospitals, clinics, publications, and the Hizbul Wathan scouting movement. Its women’s organization, ‘Aisyiyah, also became an important part of that development.
Such efforts, Haedar said, helped prepare Indonesians to become a healthy, educated, and intellectually capable population that could build the newly independent nation.
In discussing Indonesia’s system of government, Haedar explained Muhammadiyah’s view of Indonesia as a Pancasila-based state, or Darul Ahdi wa Syahadah.
Darul Ahdi describes Indonesia as a state founded on national consensus. Meanwhile, Darul Syahadah emphasizes the responsibility of citizens to bear witness to that commitment through service and concrete contributions to the country.
Haedar said devotion to Indonesia cannot stop at slogans about loyalty to the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia. It must be demonstrated through meaningful work.
“It is not enough to say that the Republic of Indonesia is non-negotiable if we do not serve it and help it advance until it stands alongside other nations,” Haedar said.
Learning from the Founders of the Republic
Haedar also recalled the example set by Indonesia’s founders when they formulated the country’s constitutional foundations.
He highlighted Ki Bagus Hadikusumo, who, together with other Muslim leaders, accepted the removal of seven words from the Jakarta Charter to preserve unity in the newly independent nation. For Haedar, that decision reflected political maturity and a willingness to place national unity above group interests.
Indonesia, he said, should therefore remain a Pancasila state. It should be neither a religious state nor a secular one, but a state grounded in Pancasila as a national consensus.
He urged Indonesians, particularly political and business elites and those entrusted with leadership, to revisit the ideas debated by the country’s founders. Before independence, he said, they engaged in extensive debates over what kind of Indonesia they wanted to build.
He pointed to the cultural debates of the 1930s, when intellectuals argued over the direction of Indonesian culture after independence. Some advocated adopting aspects of Western progress. Others proposed combining Western intellectualism with Eastern spirituality while maintaining national independence.
Similar debates took place within the Investigating Committee for Preparatory Work for Indonesian Independence, or BPUPKI, as its members discussed the foundations and future form of an independent Indonesia.
Understanding those debates remains important, Haedar said, because they can shape the state of mind with which Indonesians approach national life.
“Understanding the substance and context of those debates gives us a state of mind for how we should conduct ourselves as a nation and as a state,” Haedar said.
He argued that Indonesia would progress more quickly if its leaders, from the national government to local administrations, adopted a framework of thinking similar to that of the country’s founders.
“An understanding of constitutional obligations is the foundation for anyone in the government.”
Patriotism Means Serving the Public
Haedar then returned to his central message: love of country should inspire people to give, rather than take excessive advantage of the state. For leaders, businesspeople and ordinary citizens alike, he said, patriotism should encourage people to fulfill their responsibilities and avoid actions that harm the public interest.
“Love, by its very nature, means giving, not asking, let alone stealing. True love, they say, always wants to give, not ask,” Haedar said.
He linked that principle to gratitude and love for the country. Someone who genuinely loves Indonesia, he said, would not be willing to engage in corruption, destroy natural resources or use public office for personal gain.
“If we truly love this country, we would not have the heart to commit corruption. Nor would we destroy natural resources for purposes that do not serve the public,” he said.
Haedar also urged Indonesians to keep thinking about the country’s future. Independence, he said, must be followed by self-reliance, unity, sovereignty, justice and prosperity, ideals envisioned by the nation’s founders.
The principle of Bhinneka Tunggal Ika, or “Unity in Diversity,” must also be tested in everyday life, particularly when conflicts arise between ethnic and social groups. Unity cannot remain a slogan. Instead, it must be reflected in the ability to resolve differences with maturity while preserving the integrity of the nation.
In closing, Haedar called on Indonesians to use the anniversary of independence as an opportunity to renew their sense of national responsibility. Indonesia’s progress, he said, requires a willingness to think, work and contribute according to each person’s position and responsibilities. (Taufik)
