Opinion: The Meaning of Youth Vow Day

Every October, 28th, my brother in law celebrates his birthday. In the same time, all of the Indonesian people celebrate Youth Vow Day. It was exactly in October, 28th 1928, the Youth Vow Day bore. As Indonesian youth, sometimes I ask myself what I have done for Indonesia and what kind of contribution I have done.

The youths in the past strived to make Indonesia be free from the imperialist. They understood really well that they could not make it if they do it alone. Regardless of the diversity of the tribes, cultures, and languages, they kept unite them self because they knew by the unity, they would gain more power and more chance to fight back and get rid the imperialist from the homeland. Therefore, on October 28th, 1928, they vowed that they, Indonesian youths, were from one country, country of Indonesia; one nation, nation of Indonesia; and one language, language of Indonesia. The bahasa version of Youth Vow is shown below.

[Picture Source: kochiefrog.com]

By the unity, Indonesian youths became stronger to fight back the imperialist. Therefore, the meaning of Youth Vow Day in the past was the struggle to fight back the imperialist by a unity of Indonesian youth. How about the meaning of Youth Vow Day today? 

The meaning of Youth Vow Day according to Jusuf Kalla, The Vice President of Indonesia, is to move forward. He underlined that the world today has so many alterations so if Indonesia only depends on the unity, it will not enough to make Indonesia bigger. "We need to keep the meaning of the unity from Youth Vow, but the youths today should not only think about it but also think to move forward with the unity" [1]. 

While in my opinion, the meaning of Youth Vow Day is similar to the meaning of it in the past which is to strive and fight back the imperialist by the unity. The imperialist that I mean is in the form of new imperialism. As we gradually face the globalization, we may be colonized for the second time by the new type of imperialism. For example, since the beginning of 2016, countries in ASEAN has started the AEC (ASEAN Economic Community) program.  

The purpose of the establishment of AEC is to form a huge market and to be one of the largest economies in the world [2]. By the AEC, the trading between ASEAN countries will be easier. AEC also let the people from different countries work in other countries in ASEAN easily. From this point, we can see a disadvantage which may be encountered by Indonesia, if Indonesia is not ready to face the AEC. For example, if so many better workers from other ASEAN countries decide to work in Indonesia, the recent local workers may be replaced by them and Indonesia will have an increase in the number of unemployment people since they are unable to circumvent them. If this thing happens for a long period, Indonesia may undergo the new form of imperialism which the local people will be cornered and unable to overpower the immigrants, then the immigrants begin to control the governance. It may happen if Indonesia is not ready for the human resources.

Therefore as a youth, we can implement the Youth Vow by keeping strive to fight back a new form of potential imperialism by the unity. The Indonesian youths today need to unite by contributing something to Indonesia, to make Indonesia distinguished from other countries in ASEAN or even in the world. We can contribute to the nation by achieving something in an international competition or by doing nonstop learning in the whole life so we will not be left behind from other countries. 

Today are so many examples of Indonesian youths who have lifted the nation dignity in the international arena. Tontowi Ahmad and Liliyana Natsir successfully brought gold medal from badminton competition in Rio Olympiad 2016; Joey Alexander Sila, a 10-years-old pianist obtained Grand Prix 1st International Festival-Contest of Jazz Improvisation Skill and successfully made Bruno Mars do standing ovation at Grammy Awards; and Irene Kharisman Sukandar was the first Indonesian woman awarded as the Grandmaster (the highest level of chess athlete and was ranked 59th between other woman chess athletes in the world [3].

Totowi/Liliyana, Joey, and Irene are just a few example of excellent Indonesian youths. There are so many youths actively participated in the international competition that I can not mention their names one by one. If they can make it, it means that you do can make it. You just need to see what is the excellence of yourself and then you work hard to hone the skill. I believe you also can be one of them. 

Nonstop learning means that your education doesn't stop until you reach bachelor, master, or Ph.D. degree, but you stay foolish and hungry--just like Steve Jobs said--which by staying foolish and hungry, you will keep learning a new knowledge from whatever and wherever every time. You need to always be still curious about something new because the world changes so fast. If we slowly follow the changes, we may be left behind and controlled by other big countries. If it happens, in the end, our independence will be threatened. 

So, the meaning of Youth Vow Day, in my opinion, is by keeping strive to fight back the new form of potential imperialism by the unity to contribute to Indonesia which can be implemented by achieving something in the international arena or nonstop learning. If we unite to lift our nation dignity by those contributions, I believe we can maintain our independence and will never be colonized for the second times.

References:
[1] Republika. (2016). JK: Makna Sumpah Pemuda Harus Dijaga. [Website].
[2] ASEAN. (n.d.). ASEAN Economic Community. [Website].
[3] Juliawanti, L. (n.d.). 5 Pemuda-Pemudi yang Sukses Bangkitkan Indonesia di Mata Internasional. [Website].

Opinion: Avoid Black Campaign

[Picture Source: qureta.com (has been modified)]

My eyes felt really hurt every time scrolling the page of facebook, twitter, and other social media I have. I felt annoyed, disturbed, and fed up toward the black campaign thrown each other by the supporters of each candidate. Even though black campaigns and negative campaigns are purposed to strike down their opposing candidate by telling their bad things, both campaigns are different. Muhammad Qodari, Executive Director of Indo Barometer, said that a black campaign is a campaign that should be avoided since the information is not based on a fact, while a negative campaign is a campaign that we should preserve since the information is based on a fact and important for the electors as a consideration which candidate should be chosen [1]. 

As an elector, I felt disgusted by the black campaign shared by the supporters who can not give responsibility to its validity. They shared hatred and invited the other electors to feel also their hatred toward the candidate whom they hate whereas what they told about the candidate is probably incorrect. As an elector who has a conscience and education, I knew which one is correct and which one is incorrect, I knew whether it is a black campaign or a negative campaign.

If most of the electors in the nation couldn't differentiate whether it is a black campaign or a negative campaign. They can be easily influenced by the black campaign and wrongly getting the information, then wrongly elect a candidate.  In the end, the nation may wrongly obtain the elected candidate while the future of the nation is on the hand of the elected candidate.  Therefore, the best election system in my opinion is when there is no black campaign so the electors only obtain the information which is based on a fact. They can elect properly and finally obtain the appropriate elected candidate.

Unfortunately it seems difficult to eradicate black campaign, our government still in the formulation of the regulation. Black campaigns may be appear until now in every type of election. For example, during governor of Jakarta election which the campaign period starts from October 2016 until February 2017. So, brace yourself to face the black campaigns.

Most of the black campaigns appear in social media. Usually I use social media to see my friends' recent news about their lives. But when there are so many black campaigns shared by friends, it is like not fulfilling my intention to see the social media. Regardless of whether it is incorrect or not, the information from black campaigns is still not based on a fact. In my opinion, every information that is not based on a fact is a lie. I hate a lie so I hate every time seeing my social media full of black campaigns or full of lies shared by friends. Yes, every time during the election period. Don't you feel fed up, disgusted, and annoyed by lies every day in social media? I do! Since my purpose to see my social media is to see their recent news but I ended up by finding so many black campaigns shared by them which is not what I want.

Here, I come to a solution. Some of social media like facebook has a feature to hide a posting that we would not like to see. But, if he/she shares black campaigns frequently, I suggest you to click "unfollow" button from his/her timeline. Don't worry to click unfollow, since facebook doesn't allow him/her to be notified if someone has already unfollowed him/her. By unfollowing, you can't see his/her post which is full of black campaigns and it also means you are free from hatred spread. In this post, I'm not telling you how to hide/unfollow someone in social media because you can easily find the information in other sources in the internet. I just would like to make you aware that you can be free from black campaigns shared in social media by avoiding someone who frequently shares the black campaigns. Just like Muhammad Qodari said, black campaign is a campaign that should be avoided. For some times after the election period, you may want to follow someone that you have already unfollowed during the election period again, so just follow again in his/her social media, hope he/she has stopped sharing the black campaigns.

If you would like to know a whole information including the vision, mision, and programs offered by all candidates, just go to their official social media account. These official social media account of all candidates should not let a post which tends to be a black campaign appear in their official social media. By comparing the information obtained from the official source, I hope you can consider the proper candidate to be chosen so it's better to follow all candidates' official social media rather than only following one. By following all of them, you can compare.

As a Jakarta citizen who will participate in the Governor of Jakarta election in 2017, I would like to share the official social media of all candidates which is written below [2]:

1. Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono and Sylviana Murni: AgusSylviForDKI1 (facebook), @AgusSylviDKI (twitter), @AgusSylvyForDKI1 (instagram), and AgusSylviDKI.com (website).
2. Basuki Tjahaja Purnama and Djarot Saiful Hidayat: AhokDjarot (facebook), @AhokDjarot (twitter), ahokdjarot (instagram), and ahokdjarot.id (website).
3. Anies Rasyid Baswedan and Sandiaga Salahudin Uno: Anies Sandi, #jakartamajubersama, Anies Baswedan, Suara Anies, Relawan Anies, Sandiaga Salahudin Uno  (facebook); @jktmajubersama, @Aniesbaswedan, @Suaraanis, @Relawananies, @sandiuno (twitter), @jakartamajubersama, @aniesbaswedan, @relawananies, @sandiuno (instagram), and jakartamajubersama.com (website).

In conclusion, black campaign is bad and should be avoided. The solutions I offer are by avoiding someone in social media who frequently shares black campaign and just following the official social media of all candidates.

My last word, learn and explore more the information provided from their official social media and avoid illegal account which tends to spread black campaigns. Say no to black campaign. Be educated and wise to choose. Hope, by avoiding black campaigns, one step closer to have the truly best elected candidate. It's not only for Governor of Jakarta election, but for other upcoming type of elections. And hope Indonesia will be a bigger and bigger nation in the world.

Reference:
[1] Hukum Online. (2007). Perlu Pembedaan Tegas antara Black dan Negative Campaign. [Website]
[2] Warta Kota Tribunnews. (2016). Ini Akun Medsos Resmi yang Terdaftar di KPU DKI. [Website]