NU students should be visionary and have strong character

Bogor, NU Online
As a community whose a strategic role in the nation's life, NU students should be visionary and have a strong character in building society. The role of students as the agent of change must appropriately and correctly be played to keep maintaining their struggle idealism.

Prof. Dr. Surjono Hadi Sutjahjo MS of the Bogor Agricultural Institute (IPB) made the remarks at a discussion held by the Nahdlatul Ulama Students Family (KMNU) of IPB at Darul Muttaqien Islamic boarding school (Pesantren) in Parung Bogor on Sunday (3/5).<>

The discussion with the theme "Seeding tradition, strengthening caderization to meet the challenges of change" involved such speakers as Prof Dr Cecep Kusmana MS, KH Mad Rodja Sukarta (leader of pesantren Darul muttaqien) and H. Imam Syafi'i M.Pd (chief of Basic and Secondary Education Division of the Department of Religious Affairs).

Surjono said that NU students should understand and be able to internalize the essense and the vision of (NU) struggles to be strong and consistent leaders.

As the future leaders, Surjono added, the students should foster the attitude of openess and be able to communicate with other communities.

While Prof Cecep Kusmana called on NU students to constantly learn from their surrounding environment in strengthening their character and social intelligence.

"Campus is the most effective means to learn because in campus there are many trends, various ideologies and different patterns of movement," Prof Cecep Kusmana said.

He also stressed the importance of NU students to be capable of contributing to society in accordance with the mission and the teaching of Ahlussunnah wal Jamaah instead of being trapped into certain mainstreaming viewpoints.

At the sametime, KH Mad Rodja Sukarta was of view that students should be capable of showing themselves as excellent generations in a true sense in nature. He called on students not to 'say good bye' to struggle and stop hoping to bring change and improvement.

"Students should always be on the front line in meeting the challenges of change. That is why they should have a far-reaching vision," the ex-activist of the Indonesian Muslim Students Movement (PMII) said.

While Imam Syafi'i called on NU students to have the courage in taking initiatives. "In any struggle if we have no such a habit, at least we have the courage so that we will be on the front line." (hir)