BANDUNG, unpas.ac.id – Member of Commission III DPR RI, Arteria Dahlan is now getting sort of attention. The reason is, this PDI Perjuangan-based politician suggests a Chief Prosecutor to be fired from his position because he spoke Sundanese while meeting.
Related to his controversial statement, academic civitas of Universitas Pasundan responded to it and threw a criticism. Unpas Vice Rector III who is as well Observer on Public Policy Dr. H. Deden Ramdan, M.Si viewed that Arteria’s statement was contradictive to what he has been usually emphasizing on keeping the value of nation’s unity.
“It looks like he [Arteria Dahlan] should reread the Constitution Law regarding Flag, State Symbol and Language. One of its articles stated that local government must maintain and develop its local language. Is he in the need of refusing all of that?”, he said.
According to the Vice Rector, referring to political ethics, Arteria, as the member of people’s council, must have understood the history of people’s struggle which really upheld culture diversity. What has happened and been seen now is, he committed an ahistorical or contrary to the history.
Vice Dean III of Faculty of Art and Literature (FISS) Unpas who is as well a Sundanese humanist, Budi Dalton also gave his similar response to it. He regretted Arteria’s racist attitude, because it showed dislike for Sundanese culture.
“So far, Indonesians have been trying not to commit racism in the middle of [our] diversity. It is certainly a useless act of tolerance and unity, if the representatives in the council also commit racism,” he said.
The Vice Dean also said that in a meeting, there are a lot of people using terms in foreign language or speaking other local language. For this reason, he wondered why the use of Sundanese was criticized by Arteria.
“Why did he ask the Sundanese-speaking Chief Prosecutor to be replaced instead of just being criticized?,” he continued.
General Chairman of Paguyuban Pasundan Prof. Dr. H. M. Didi Turmudzi, M.Si through his statement, urged Arteria Dahlan to apologize immediately in order not to cause it to bigger polemic.
Prof. Didi certainly regretted a sensitive statement issued from people’s representative, that he should have shown his patriotism and appreciated the ethnicity diversity in Indonesia, including Sundanese.
“Aren’t the [issue regarding] flag and language already arranged and written in the 1945 Constitution? If the local language is protected and written on it, we should properly maintain it as a national cultural wealth. So, is it appropriate for DPR member to say things which are contrary to the Constitution?”, he said.
However, Prof. Didi is sure that Arteria Dahlan would want to apologize to all Sundanese people for his mistake. Paguyuban Pasundan does not want this incident to divide the unity and integrity of Indonesia.
“In fact, Sundanese people have the nature of penance, compassion, and parenting. As Urang Sunda, we will maintain the integrity of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia with unity, integrity, and always respect for tolerance,” he concluded. (Reta)*
