PRESIDENT UNDERLINES UNITY OF INDONESIA

Jakarta, Aug 14 (ANTARA) - The unity of Indonesia is the most important asset of the country's independence revolution, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said here on Friday.

The president made the statement in his state-of-the nation address on the occasion of the 64th anniversary of national independence at a plenary session of the House of Representatives (DPR).

"As far as we are concerned, unity is the precursor of awakening and the strength of the nation," the president said, adding that unity was the main prerequisite for the preservation of the country's national motto of Bhineka Tunggal Ika (Unity in Diversity).

The president said that since independence, irrespective of the seriousness of challenges that continued to confront the nation, with the spirit of unity and cohesion, the problems could be overcome successfully.

"This is the reason, therefore, that the principle we have been consistently adhering to is: In crucial things, Unity!," the president said.

He added that Indonesia's independence has also produced the country's ideology and foundation, namely Pancasila or the five basic principles.

"After going through numerous historic ups and downs, and after overcoming various challenges and trials, the Indonesian nation became increasingly convinced about the significance of Pancasila," the head of state said.

"We are increasingly convinced that Pancasila is the final ideology and state foundation, it is unchangeable and indisputable. We must continue to value Pancasila as an open and living ideology, and not as a static and frightening dogma," he added.

The president said Pancasila must continue to be the source of inspiration and solution to the process of nation-building of Indonesia in the future.

"After the independence proclamation and the liberation from colonialism, our journey as a nation has been very colorful and imbued with the romanticism of life," he said.