Tsamara PSI Defends Mendikbud Nadiem: Stop Zalimi Mas Minister For Short-Term Politics

Chairman of the DPP Indonesian Solidarity Party (PSI) Tsamara Amany Alatas (Photo: Instagram @tsamaradki)

JAKARTA - Chairman of the DPP Indonesian Solidarity Party (PSI) Tsamara Amany Alatas defended the Minister of Education and Culture (Mendikbud) Nadiem Makarim, who in the past week was "attacked."

Starting from the issue of re-shaking Joko Widodo's cabinet to the controversy over the loss of the founder of Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) KH Hasyim Asy'ari in the Indonesian History Dictionary Volume I.

"The issue of a cabinet reshuffle circulating in the media this week has generated political upheaval, one of which is a sharp attack on Mendikbud Nadiem Makarim," said Tsamara in a statement quoted by Antara, Wednesday, April 21.

The latest criticism from the Gojek boss is the loss of the name of the founder of Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) KH Hasyim Asy'ari in the Indonesian History Dictionary.

"Finally, Nadiem was accused of publishing a History Dictionary book that did not include a national hero who was also the founder of Nahdlatul Ulama, KH Hasyim Asy'ari," he also said.

Tsamara explained that the Indonesian History Dictionary published by the Ministry of Education and Culture was made in the era of former Minister of Education and Culture Muhadjir Effendy. Tsamara assessed that the dictionary had not yet been printed.

"First, the facts show that the History Dictionary book was created in 2017 when the Minister of Education and Culture was Muhadjir Effendy, not Nadiem Makarim. Second, according to the official statement of the Ministry of Education and Culture, the History Dictionary is still a draft and therefore has not been published," he said.

Therefore, Tsamara asked a number of parties not to attack Nadiem Makarim. Tsamara asked that criticism delivered to Nadiem be constructive, not slanderous.

"So, Minister Nadiem Makarim's attack and wrongdoing is for the sake of short-term political interests. The Minister is certainly not perfect. Criticism may even be recommended. But criticize with strong substance to improve our world of education, not criticism that leads to slander," he said too.

On the other hand, Tsamara considered that someone had leaked the draft to the public. Tsamara asked related parties to investigate this allegation.

"Apart from that, the perpetrators of leaking the History Dictionary draft which are likely to be carried out from within the Ministry of Education and Culture's bureaucracy must be thoroughly investigated," said Tsamara.