Indonesia's Muslim Majority Embraces Pancasila, Says LSI Survey

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - A poll done by the Indonesian Survey Institute (LSI) found that the country’s Pancasila (five state ideologies) together with the 1945 Constitution (UUD 1945) has been widely accepted by more than 80 percent of the country’s Muslims.

“86.5 percent of Muslim respondents deem the Pancasila and 1945 Consitution as the best option currently to live life as an Indonesian citizen,” said LSI executive director, Djayadi Hanan during the survey’s announcement in Central Jakarta on Sunday.

The poll involves 1,550 respondents selected randomly from September 8 to September 17 with a 2.5 percent margin of error. 

Djayadi stated that the survey saw 4 percent of respondents standing against the Pancasila as it is deemed to contradict Islamic laws. A further 1.8 percent think that it needs to be changed with alternative state-constitutions. 

The Muslim’s support for Pancasila shows a positive trend after a slight drop in 2018 that saw the same survey score at 82.2 percent. Djayadi argues that the government can use the study to focus on strengthening the Pancasila and Constitution instead of going defensive on people that are deemed to deny the Pancasila. 

“Currently, Jokowi’s administration is focusing more on the four percent. It’s better to focus on the strengthening of Pancasila and Constitution,” Djayadi argues.

EGI ADYATAMA