Having established a set of principles and the relevant administration for
cultural development on a national level, Indonesia still faces problems in
bringing these principles into practice in its multi-ethnic and also (as far as
education is concerned) multi-layered population. These problems have a
definite influence on the flow or mainstream of cultural policy. In outline,
the problems faced by Indonesia consist of the following:
Basically, national development represents the process of change in all
sectors of life, which now occurs much more rapidly than ever before.
Indonesia’s multi-ethnic community, with its varied historical and cultural
backgrounds, therefore undergoes corresponding changes in its systems
of values as a result of national development.
The rapid flow of present-day foreign cultural influences due to the
development of modern technology, especially in the field of communication
and transportation, has immensely facilitated intercultural
contacts.
The enormous growth in population requires a corresponding increase in
the quality, quantity and variety of the means of life.
Indonesia’s multi-ethnic background was, of necessity, a direct reason for
considering national culture to be the guideline for patterns of social
behaviour of the nation. This, as previously mentioned, was the aim of the
Constitution of the Republic of Indonesia. However, while national culture
is still in the process of development there still remains at present diverse
ethnic as well as local cultures as regards specific social environments.
Indonesia has also to consider that material development has initiated
various changes in value much faster than in the old days when communication
was more difficult. It is this rapid change that creates the problems,
for cultural adaptation to foreign influence is slow and inconsistent. This
strong foreign cultural influence has led to a weakening of the people’s
capacity to select and filter with the consequent loss of the ability to
choose correctly what is needed in accordance with the existing values