Letter: Questioning PBB stance?

Thu, 07/24/2008 10:40 AM  |  Reader's Forum

"Our country has been independent for 63 years and until now we have relied on Pancasila as our state ideology but corruption and assassinations are still everywhere. Please give us a chance to establish sharia. If we fail we can just change it back to Pancasila or to something else."

This firm and clear statement from a member of the Crescent Star Party (PBB) was stated during a recent television debate.

After the statement was read, the chair of PBB's board of patrons Yusril Izha Mahendra quickly clarified the party's position: "It is common to have differences between leaders and the masses. I think Gus Dur also has a different point of view than that of ordinary people."

Yusril is right that differences between leaders and the general populace are common.

Are those who accompany Yusril, the party's presidential candidate, really common people or supporters? I believe they are party leaders or at least people who know well the mission and vision of the party.

Therefore, if the statement read prior to the debate is correct, it is really regrettable.

It is unusual someone could bravely, openly and firmly state his group wants to replace Pancasila with another state ideology. If true, I think it is a betrayal of the Indonesian people and the country.

But if Yusril really regrets the statement, he has a difficult job ahead as contradictory views about Indonesian state ideology still exist within his party.

Apparently some still want to replace Pancasila with sharia. I hope Yusril is able to overcome the internal contradictory opinions and refrains from making any public statement before the differences are settled.

HADI SUSANTO
Denpasar

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