Puan Maharani Emphasizes The Importance Of Pancasila Actualization To The Young Generation

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Puan Maharani (center). (Photo: Doc. DPR RI)

Chairman of the House of Representatives (DPR) Puan Maharani emphasized the importance of socializing Pancasila to the younger generation through facilities that are in accordance with the current developments.

He conveyed this when asked to read the script for the opening of the 1945 Constitution at the commemoration ceremony of the Birthday of Pancasila, June 1.

The commemoration ceremony for the Birthday of Pancasila was led by President Joko Widodo (Jokowi), at the National Monument Field (Monas), Central Jakarta. Apart from Puan, other state officials were present. The ceremony was also attended by the 5th President of the Republic of Indonesia Megawati Soekarnoputri, the 9th Vice President of the Republic of Indonesia Hamzah Haz, and the 11th Vice President of the Republic of Indonesia Boediono.

Wearing a kebaya, Puan reads the text of the opening of the 1945 Constitution loudly from the podium. During the commemoration of the Birthday of Pancasila, Puan invited all Indonesian people to remember the services of the heroes who had sacrificed in order to achieve Indonesia's independence.

The birth of Pancasila as the basis of the State originated from the idea of the Proclaimer of the Republic of Indonesia, Sukarno, which he then delivered in a speech at the trial of the Indonesian Independence Preparation Business Investigation Agency (BPUPKI).

"The founders of the nation have formulated the Indonesian State Basis with various struggles and challenges. As the next generation, we must be able to interpret Pancasila as the basis for behaving in social life," said Puan in a written statement.

Bung Karno's grandson also invited the public to continue the struggle of the founding fathers of the nation, especially for the younger generation who are the future generation of Indonesia. According to Puan, Pancasila must always be used as a guide in the life of the nation and state.

"That we all have the same duties and responsibilities to create a just and prosperous society according to Pancasila and the 1945 Constitution," he said.

Furthermore, Puan highlighted the importance of actualizing Pancasila to the younger generation. As a candidate for leadership in the future, the younger generation needs to have guidelines based on Pancasila as the basis of the state.

"The Pancasila actualization aims to maintain the sustainability and relevance of the noble values of Pancasila in responding to the challenges and changes of the times," said Puan.

"In addition, the application of Pancasila values is important in every aspect of life, ranging from individuals, families, communities, to the nation as a whole," he continued.

Puan said, in Bung Karno's speech on June 1, 1945, it was explained that the essence of Pancasila was mutual cooperation. It was this statement that burned the spirit of the people to unite to build this country.

"Gotong royong is a bone slammed, all sweat extortion, everyone's sweat makes everyone happy. Ho lopis quantul rows are for the common interest. Of all for all," said Puan quoting Bung Karno's words.

The first woman to serve as Chair of the Indonesian House of Representatives emphasized that the younger generation needs to be reminded about learning mutual cooperation. Puan assessed that the younger generation must always be reminded that all Indonesian people have important roles and contributions in society.

"Learning mutual cooperation is important because it provides opportunities for the younger generation to understand the important meaning of cooperation and mutual assistance in everyday life," said the former Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture.

With the foundation of mutual cooperation, the younger generation is considered to be easy to alleviate anti-difference and diversity which is currently a threat to the next generation of the nation. Puan said that the younger generation must be able to understand that Pancasila is a unifying tool for the nation in the midst of the pluralism of the Indonesian nation.

"To bind differences in one nation, mutual value is needed, which is summarized in Pancasila. Pancasila is a final agreement in the life of the nation and state," said the former Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture.

Puan also appreciated the existence of Government Regulation No. 4 of 2022 concerning National Education Standards to encourage Pancasila planting to the younger generation. Pancasila is now back as a mandatory subject in which there are elements of Citizenship Education.

"Education is an important means of actualizing Pancasila. Schools are the ideal places to teach Pancasila values systematically and contextually," explained Puan.

Even so, Pancasila's learning for the younger generation today is considered not only through understanding substance and theory. Puan said, there must be more modern efforts in disseminating the values of Pancasila to the younger generation.

"As a generation that is critical and in the midst of the development of the digital era, the younger generation needs to get aspects of the affect in actualizing Pancasila," he said.

"They also need to be taught to listen to other people's perspectives openly, respect differences, and try to find solutions that are inclusive and fair to all parties," added Puan.

In addition to conventional learning in educational institutions, Puan encourages the Government to intensify the learning of the Pancasila ideology to the younger generation through social media facilities.

Reflecting on the data from the Indonesian Internet Service Providers Association (APJII), in 2022 Indonesian teenagers (13-18 years old) mostly use the internet rather than other age groups, which is 99.16 percent. This means that almost all Indonesian teenagers use the internet.

"There must be a new pattern of socializing Pancasila to our younger generation. By making young Pancasila actuation, we hope that the younger generation can manifest the values of the nation's struggle more solemnly," he said.

Puan believes, the younger generation adheres to the basis of the nation in the midst of the rapid times.

"I believe that the younger generation continues to uphold the actualization of Pancasila based on the noble values of the Indonesian nation, namely deliberation, mutual cooperation, tolerance and harmony among the nation's children without forgetting their identity," concluded Puan.