REPUBLIKA.CO.ID , JAKARTA -- Youth Pledge Day is a momentum to evoke sense of nationhood that began to fade away. The youth should not be dissolved by foreign culture crowding in and threatened national disintegration.
"Youth Pledge Day aims to foster and strengthen the spirit and values of our nation," Chairman NU Scholar Association (ISNU), Ali Masykur Musa, said while giving a speech in front of the Executive Board of Islamic Higher Education Student (BEM PTAI) Indonesia in Pegadaian Kramat Raya building, Central Jakarta , Monday (28/10).
Cak Ali, as Ali Masykur called, explained, the spirit of October 28 is also a major effort of the nation to unite all forms of national difference.
Compromising to the distinction is fundamental to the progress of the nation.
"Indonesia is a nation that respects and values differences as a blessing to live together. Difference is not the cause for Indonesian youth to be rude and violent," he said.
According Cak Ali, in a period of transition ahead, Indonesia needs a leader who is able to mobilize young people to come together.
"Indonesia's future generation need young visionary leaders. Leaders who can be a motivator for nations such as Sukarno and Hatta," said one of the members of national Audit Board (BPK).
Beside a motivator, according Cak Ali who is also the Democratic Party Presidential Candidate, Indonesia's leader is a person who should have been forged in the struggles.
"There is no great leader who lived just to sit behind a desk without doing anything. A leader should have the responsibility, moving to the interests of the people," he said.