Constitution and Diversity
Diversity, which is the main characteristic of a pluralistic society, must always be bound by bonds of unity among citizens. This spirit must become a shared ethos in the life of society, nation and state.
Sukidi
The construction of Muhammadiyah's Taqwa Mosque in the Islamic province was again blocked! The constitutional rights of citizens to worship according to their religion and beliefs at mosques has not immediately materialized. The age of the Muhammadiyah, which is 33 years older than that of this republic and has contributed greatly to the establishment of modern Indonesia, does not in the least guarantee the fulfillment of basic constitutional rights for the Persyarikatan (Muhammadiyah) family.
Ironically, none of the leaders, local or national, stood at the forefront of upholding the constitution on the guarantee of freedom of belief in an equal and fair manner. The guarantee has become a consensus with the founding fathers of the nation as enshrined in the 1945 Constitution, Article 29 Paragraphs (1) and (2). However, the guarantee of freedom of belief that is fair and equal is rarely enforced by the state through its leaders. This is what makes Indonesia a "soft state" to borrow the term from Karl Gunnar Myrdal (1968). In fact, leaders should always be present to uphold the constitution equally for the progress of a Greater Indonesia.