Deputy Chief Justice Aswanto delivering remarks and keynote speech virtually at the inauguration of the executive board of the Indonesian Youth Da’wah Circle Center for 2022–2024, Sunday (3/20/2022). Photo by Humas MK/Ilham W. M.

---

Monday, March 21, 2022 | 09:39 WIB

JAKARTA, Public Relations—The final goal of the nation and state is just and prosperous people. akk citizens, including its youth, should play their roles in achieving that end, said Deputy Chief Justice Aswanto virtually at the inauguration of the executive board of the Indonesian Youth Da’wah Circle Center of 2022–2024 on Sunday afternoon, March 20, 2022, which was under the theme “Transformation of Progressive and Collaborative Movement.”

Constitutional Basis for Youth

Aswanto said that several things that need to be considered for youth collaboration in developing the nation. First, the constitutional basis for youth’s contribution to the nation and state. Article 27 paragraph (1) of the 1945 Constitution reads, “All nationals shall have equal position before the law and government and uphold the law and government, with no exception.” This, he said, is the way for Indonesians, including the youth, to participate in realizing the country’s goals.

“I’ve always said that our country is according to what the founding fathers said: we must arrive at the goals, namely the final terminal for the nation and state,” he said in his presentation on “Youth Collaboration in Developing the Nation.”

The norms within the 1945 Constitution, Justice Aswanto added, provide a large space for all Indonesian people, including the youth. The problem is whether they can use that space, for example, to take part in law and government. “In order to take part in law and government, we are given the freedom by the Constitution to associate, assemble, and express opinions in order to create a just and prosperous society. All of us, including the younger generation, must maximize the space given to us,” he explained. 

Maximizing Youth’s Role

There are three requirements to maximizing the citizens’ role, including youth, in the context of national and state life, Justice Aswanto said. First, they must understand the nation’s, and even the world’s, problems. Democracy experts always say that to be involved in the life of the nation and state and in democracy, the subjects of the democracy must have knowledge of democracy and the life of the nation and state, even of the global life.

“We cannot contribute to the nation and state if we do not have comprehensive knowledge,” he asserted.

After understanding the nation’s and the world’s problems of, he said, the youth must also think about resolving those problems so that the goals of the nation and state can be realized—a just and prosperous society. Furthermore, they must take part in making decisions. 

Improving Skills

In order to make this happen, the Indonesian people and generations must be able to create space in the face of uncertain global developments and rapidly developing technology. This is done by improving skills and abilities. In fact, more than 70 percent of the workforce today are young people of productive age.

Justice Aswanto believed that to reach the ideal position in carrying out the constitutional mandate, the younger generation must be able to improve their skills and abilities, make real contribution, and have a comprehensive understanding of global developments.

“Therefore we must build collaboration not only among youth in Indonesia, but also collaboration with all youth in the world. The Indonesian Youth Da’wah Circle must take a very strategic role in order to convey the truth, especially truths enshrined in the Qur'an. To understand democracy, we don’t need to go anywhere. Just read the Qur’an and really understand its contents,” he stressed. 

Writer        : Nano Tresna Arfana
Editor        : Nur R.
Translator  : Yuniar Widiastuti (NL)

Translation uploaded on 3/21/2022 11:08 WIB

Disclaimer: The original version of the news is in Indonesian. In case of any differences between the English and the Indonesian versions, the Indonesian version will prevail.

---