Yet, the nation, as well as its search for the national identity, has withstood multiple political upheavals that have been rocking Indonesia for eight decades, as agreed by historians, retired military generals and civil society figures – individuals who have both witnessed and shaped the country’s defining moments – at a recent focused group discussion hosted by The Jakarta Post.

Identifying “signposts” in the nation’s eight-decade journey, historian Asvi Warman Adam marked the early 20th century as the first rise of Indonesian nationalism, culminating in the Proclamation of Independence by Sukarno and Mohammad Hatta in 1945.

The violent upheaval of 1965 marking the start of Soeharto’s New Order regime, Asvi said, was the next turning point, with not only the purge of Indonesian communists, but also the silencing of reform-minded thinkers. 

“[In 1965] we lost more than just an ideology, which had played a role in bringing about Indonesia’s independence,” Asvi said. 

The reform in 1998 dismantled the New Order. But many of its hallmarks still persist today, according to rights activist and former attorney general Marzuki Darusman.

One such legacy is what Marzuki called “emergency nationalism”, referring to a sense of unity in response to apparent threats, which has kept the nation intact during turbulent moments. But it has also hindered the development of a sustained and long-term vision for the country.