By: Xeraphine Siwi *
Radical understanding or radicalism is a real threat to the security and integrity of the nation. The Indonesian state is based on the Pancasila ideology, so that the spread of radical ideas creates anxiety and concern in society. Therefore, preventing, warding and alerting to the threat of the spread of radicalism, is not only a role of the security forces but requires the role and support and participation of all levels of society, for the sake of the Republic of Indonesia towards a better Indonesia, Forward Indonesia.
To note, radicalism is an idea or idea that wants to change a system in a radical or violent way. Radicalism does not look at religion, ethnicity and race, but is an anti-Pancasila understanding, which wants to divide the unity of tribes, religions and races in Indonesia.
In this era of globalization, the circulation and development of radical understanding is increasingly fertile to spread to all lines of life, including in the educational environment and government agencies. The internet has become a medium that is easily exploited by radical groups to ensnare and plunge the public, especially young people who are very closely related to cyberspace.
Various groups are created on social media that accommodate and support radical thinking. Intolerant and radical content freely circulates and these things are difficult to dammed, especially with the increasing intolerant attitude in society and the increasingly shifting values of Pancasila and native culture of Indonesia.
To counter radicalism, the community must fortify themselves by practicing Pancasila, including increasing the values of local wisdom in each region and strengthening the national outlook and love of the country. Pancasila as a state ideology is believed to be able to ward off radicalism because it is very appropriate and in accordance with the nation’s culture and as a unifier of the people of Indonesia. Meanwhile, strengthening the national outlook is very important in efforts to strengthen the ideology of the nation in counteracting intolerance, radicalism and terrorism.
In the Rector Forum for Strengthening the Nation’s Character, Vice President Ma’ruf Amin reminded that the campus world must be free from radicalism notions, because the seeds of radicalism that had grown since the world of education were even more dangerous. The Vice President emphasized that college graduates would later enter each institution or institution. Therefore, from the beginning, the campus must not be infiltrated by radical ideologies, thus, Indonesia’s human resources (HR) will be of higher quality.
On the right and on different occasions, the Chairperson of the Central Java Terrorism Prevention Coordination Forum (FKPT), Prof. Syamsul Maarif, said that people who preserve local culture in their environment are more immune to the exposure of radicalism-terrorism. Therefore, local wisdom presents harmony and unity in diversity.
However, he continued, preventive efforts and dissemination of the prevention of radicalism must still be carried out, especially now that this understanding has targeted many groups including young people, children, and women.
Actually, the progress of science and technology at this time, should be able to be used by young people to actively create content that is unifying and counter radical to prevent intolerance and stem radical thinking. Moreover, the millennial generation is the successor of the nation which will take this country to a far more advanced and respected international community, so that the spread of radicalism must be watched out and anticipated which will only damage and destroy the young people of Indonesia.
On various occasions, President Joko Widodo has always stressed that there is no place for radicalism and terrorism in Indonesia, which only damages and destroys. Indonesia wants to live safely and peacefully so that it can focus together on developing the nation and country for the welfare and prosperity of all the people of Indonesia.
) * The writer is a social cultural observer