#TIL Pancasila is the national philosophy of Indonesia

How do we know this?

A few days back, a row between Indonesia and Australia bubbled over after the Indonesian military chief suspended cooperation between the two countries.

Depiction of the Pancashila philosophy in an Indonesian government poster | Source: Chris Woodrich

The reasons were language course teaching materials at an Australian military school in Perth, which were perceived by an Indonesia officer to make offensive references to Indonesia, its military and it’s national Pancasila philosophy, not to be confused with the Panchsheel treaty which laid down five principles of peaceful co-existence between India and China.

It is noteworthy that both are derived from the same Sanskrit root and mean exactly the same thing – five principles.

Anyway, Indonesian President Joko Widodo has been reported by Reuters to have ‘reined in’ General Gatot Nurmantyo and the suspension is now only with respect to language training.

So what do you think?

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