Aptisi Worried About The High Attitude Of A Number Of Campuses Doing Practical Politics

Aptisi Chair, Budi Djatmiko (Ist)

JAKARTA - The Association of Indonesian Private Universities (Aptisi) is worried that a number of universities or campuses will do practical politics. This is to maintain campus neutrality.

Aptisi chairman, Budi Djatmiko asked university leaders not to drag campuses into practical politics. According to him, the campus was only meant to gain knowledge, not to take these actions.

"The deans, the chancellor may participate in practical politics, but don't drag the campus into practical politics, meaning that the campus has already learned, these campus leaders must maintain neutrality," Budi said in his statement, Sunday, February 11.

He said that the campus should avoid practical political interests or certain presidential candidates. Because for him the campus is a forum for developing healthy intellectuality.

"We see there is unrest from the campus community that democracy is not working, but it is only cornered to the presidential institution, this is the direction of practical politics," he said.

He admitted that he actually had no problem with the freedom of speech from high-ranking officials to campus lecturers. However, Budi advised not to do that freedom on campus.

"We give campus the right to freedom to practice politics, but in practical political spaces, not on campus, so that students study objectively without any frills," he said.

Therefore, Budi hopes that all parties will succeed in the 2024 election in a peaceful, honest and fair way. He also appealed not to take actions that could divide the nation.

"It is hoped that all of us will be aware that we must refrain from taking actions that could thwart the election," he concluded.

For information, the academic community movement has the potential to expand if the government does not provide a positive response. The accusation that this movement is accommodated by the interests of the group is considered to only spark public anger.

Recently, the academic community from various universities in Indonesia has been busy criticizing the attitude of President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) towards the 2024 General Election.

In essence, the campus petition movement is a form of moral unrest over what is happening in Indonesia. Initially there were Gadjah Mada University and the Islamic University of Indonesia which expressed concern about the current democratic conditions.

The movement was then followed by the University of Indonesia, Andalas University, Padjadjaran University and other campuses.

Recently, the Jakarta State University (UNJ) academic community conveyed the 'Declaration of Rawamangun' so that the implementation of the 2024 General Election can take place cleanly and peacefully.