Independence and “Mental Revolution” According to Bung Karno

Indonesian News for Learners – August 17, 2025

Learn Bahasa Indonesia through real news articles with vocabulary and context.

Independence and “Mental Revolution” According to Bung Karno

In an opinion column published on August 17, 2025, Djarot Saiful Hidayat (a former governor of Jakarta and current official of the MPR) reflects on Indonesia’s independence day and Bung Karno’s idea of revolusi mental (mental revolution).

He explains that for Soekarno, independence was not just political liberation, but also spiritual freedom—freedom from mental colonization. Bung Karno promoted a new Indonesian character: honest, disciplined, and committed to collective well-being. This idea was rooted in Pancasila, the five foundational principles of the nation.

The article emphasizes that without moral foundation and mental revolution, freedom is shallow and vulnerable to corruption and selfishness. The true independence of Indonesia, he argues, must also build the soul, not just infrastructure.

Source:
Kompas.com, August 17, 2025
“Kemerdekaan dan Revolusi Mental ala Bung Karno”

📚 New Vocabulary (Kosakata Baru)

  1. kemerdekaan = independence
    Kemerdekaan bukan hanya bebas secara politik, tetapi juga secara mental.
    → Independence is not only political, but also mental.
  2. penjajahan = colonization, oppression
    Merdeka berarti keluar dari penjajahan fisik dan mental.
    → Freedom means liberation from physical and mental colonization.
  3. revolusi mental = mental revolution
    Bung Karno menyerukan pentingnya revolusi mental.
    → Bung Karno emphasized the importance of a mental revolution.
  4. cita-cita = ideals, aspirations
    Gaya hidup baru harus selaras dengan cita-cita kemerdekaan.
    → The new lifestyle must align with the ideals of independence.
  5. fondasi = foundation
    Fondasi revolusi mental itu adalah Pancasila.
    → The foundation of the mental revolution is Pancasila.
  6. ketamakan = greed
    Kemerdekaan tanpa revolusi mental bisa dirusak oleh ketamakan.
    → Freedom without mental revolution can be destroyed by greed.

📝 Try Using Today’s Words

Try to create your own paragraph using at least 3 of the new words. For example:

“Revolusi mental adalah fondasi penting untuk membangun bangsa yang bebas dari ketamakan dan penjajahan mental.”

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