This is the UM Lecturer's Response to the ITK Chancellor Accused of Being Racist

• 01 May
• 2022

Unggahan rektor ITK yang viral di media sosial. (Twitter)

This is the UM Lecturer's Response to the ITK Chancellor Accused of Being Racist

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• By Uswah Sahal
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Professor and rector of the Kalimantan Institute of Technology (ITK) Budi Santosa Purwokartika has emerged on social media and has become a subject of discussion from the public to academics for allegedly committing a racist act. An article that was shared by netizens and became viral attracted the attention of Radius Setiyawan, a UM Lecturer at the Muhammadiyah University of Surabaya (UM Surabaya) to provide a response.

According to Radius, in the Indonesian context the practice of racism often occurs, from ordinary people, state officials to what recently happened was carried out by a professor. This is certainly dangerous for Indonesia's diverse future.

"Diversity of ethnicity, religion, ethnicity, race and other identities must be viewed wisely and wisely, don't easily stereotype those who are different," said Radius.

Radius explained that the use of the word has a tone of discriminating against certain religious identities. Especially in the actual context, in the midst of strengthening political polarization, this diction is often used by certain groups to give a low label to those whose thoughts are not in line with their group.

"It's hard not to mention what Prof. Budi Santoso wrote on his Facebook status as a racist act. He used the term desert human head cover which was allegedly satirical on the hijab," explained Radius on Sunday (1/5/22)

In the written statement, the lecturer for the Cross Culture Understanding (CCU) course explained that racism stems from a mental attitude that views other people as permanently different from oneself. Racist ways of thinking have a tendency to think that those who are different deserve to be despised. These differences are seen from the physical, race, religion, ethnicity and other identities.

"As a result of this way of thinking, it is very easy for people to stereotype things that they consider different and inferior," he said again.

According to him, stereotype is the process of generalizing the whole group or entity from a phenomenon based on the little knowledge obtained from members of the group or entity.

"In the digital era like today, we must support and continue to voice awareness against racist attitudes. The goal is for all of us to be careful in writing, speaking and acting. Moreover, related to something different in a group or other entity, "he concluded.