The True Independence for Indonesia

News:

Indonesia’s 80th Independence Day celebration was enlivened by colorful traditional costumes at the Merdeka Palace, Jakarta, on Sunday, August 17, 2025. Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin attended in Batak attire, saying he chose it because of his wife’s heritage. Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Bahlil Lahadalia wore Solo traditional dress, noting he had previously donned outfits from Papua, Sulawesi, and Maluku. President Prabowo Subianto appeared in ivory-colored Nusantara attire with a black peci, songket sarong, and jasmine garland. Celebrities Raffi Ahmad and Nagita Slavina wore Javanese costumes, with Raffi reminding citizens to contribute positively to the nation. Ambassadors from friendly countries attended in formal suits, while many members of the public also wore regional clothing, reflecting unity in diversity at the celebration. (Source: rri.co.id)

Comment:

Since the Proclamation of August 17, 1945, Indonesia has now entered its 80th year of independence. Ideally, with nearly a century of freedom, the nation should have achieved significant progress, prosperity, welfare, and justice. Unfortunately, what has unfolded is quite the opposite: Indonesia continues to be burdened by various problems such as poverty, social inequality, moral decline, foreign domination over natural resources, mounting debt, corruption, and many other issues.

The root cause of these problems lies in ideological colonization, namely the ideology of Capitalism, which is founded on secularism. Because of the dominance of this secular-capitalist ideology, the aspirations of the freedom fighters—that Indonesia would be fully liberated from foreign influence—have not been entirely realized. In fact, the legacy of colonial powers still deeply grips the nation.

First, in the field of law and legislation, the Indonesian legal system remains secular. Though the Dutch colonizers were expelled, much of their legal framework has been preserved and enforced. Law-making processes are still influenced by foreign interests. Second, in the economy, the nation is shackled by massive debt, particularly foreign loans whose interest burdens have reached thousands of trillions of rupiah. Its natural resources are also largely controlled by foreign entities. Third, in the social and cultural spheres, destructive influences have taken root due to the influx of secular-liberal values. This has manifested in social problems such as promiscuity, sexual deviations including LGBT practices, pornography, corruption, online gambling, and various forms of violence. Fourth, in politics, Indonesia continues to implement a secular democratic system that is highly vulnerable to foreign agendas promoted through local compradors. As a result, many laws passed by Parliament and regulations issued by the Government favor foreign interests rather than the welfare of the Indonesian people.

From the Islamic perspective, true independence means liberation from servitude to other human beings, and submission solely to Allah (swt), the Creator of humankind and the entire universe. For Muslims, therefore, independence is not merely a right to be defended, but the central mission of the Islamic message itself.

The annual commemoration of Indonesia’s independence should not be reduced to a ceremonial event. It should serve as an ideological reflection that Indonesia has not yet attained genuine independence. The nation remains subject to the domination of secular-capitalist ideology, which has only compounded its problems and deepened the suffering of its people.

The solution lies in freeing Indonesia from this secular-capitalist ideology. This can only be achieved by returning to the divine laws of Allah (swt) through the comprehensive implementation of Islamic Sharia in all aspects of life, under the system of the Khilafah (Caliphate). The establishment of a Khilafah upon the Prophetic method would realize true independence for the Muslim Ummah—not only in Indonesia but across the entire world.

Written for the Central Media Office of Hizb ut Tahrir by
Abdullah Aswar