KKN Threatens National Development, UNU Jogja Encourages Students to Build a Culture of Integrity

Yogyakarta, Indonesia – Universitas Nahdlatul Ulama Yogyakarta (UNU Jogja) held a General Lecture for the Citizenship Education General Course (MKDU) titled “Building an Advanced Indonesia Free from Corruption, Collusion, and Nepotism (KKN)” at the Main Hall on the 5th Floor of UNU Jogja on Thursday, June 4. The event was attended by students from the 2025 cohort across various study programs as part of efforts to strengthen national character and integrity among young generations.

The public lecture featured Dr. Agus Wahyudi, M.Si., M.A., Ph.D., Secretary of the Senate of the Faculty of Philosophy and Director of Inter-Religious Studies (IRS) at Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), as well as former Head of the Pancasila Study Center (PSP) UGM. In his presentation, he emphasized that corruption, collusion, and nepotism are not merely legal issues, but also matters of political ethics that have far-reaching impacts on the quality of democracy, national development, and public trust. 

“KKN practices can hinder national progress by eroding public trust, reducing the quality of public policies, and diverting resources that should be used for the public good,” he said.

Agus explained that building an advanced Indonesia requires a strong foundation of integrity. According to him, values such as transparency, accountability, impartiality, honesty, and responsibility must become integral parts of public culture and governance.

He added that efforts to eradicate corruption cannot rely solely on law enforcement. An anti-corruption culture must also be fostered through education and active public participation.

“Students hold a strategic position as agents of change. Therefore, the courage to be honest, critical, and reject all forms of misconduct should be instilled from an early stage as part of civic responsibility,” he stated.

Agus also highlighted the persistence of social tolerance toward unethical practices in everyday life. In his view, permissive attitudes toward the abuse of power can create opportunities for larger-scale corruption to flourish.

Furthermore, he stressed that education plays a vital role in cultivating an anti-corruption culture from an early age. Universities, he noted, are responsible not only for producing academically competent graduates but also for nurturing citizens with integrity and social responsibility.

This perspective served as one of the foundations for the public lecture organized by UNU Jogja. Hidar Amaruddin, Vice Dean of the Faculty of Education (FIP) at UNU Jogja, stated that character building and integrity development are essential components of higher education.

“This public lecture serves as a space for reflection, helping students understand that an advanced and just Indonesia can only be achieved through clean governance and a commitment to the public interest,” he said.

He expressed hope that students would not only understand the dangers of KKN conceptually but also apply the values of integrity in their academic, social, and professional lives.

Through this event, UNU Jogja continues to strengthen students’ understanding of integrity as a form of social capital for building an advanced, just, and corruption-free Indonesia. [Latifah]