Deputy Speaker of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) Ahmad Basarah (ANTARA/HO)

The spirit of "gotong royong," or mutual cooperation, is intrinsic to the Pancasila state ideology's values that Indonesia should adopt in its collective endeavors to fight the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, a legislator stated.

The values of Pancasila are applicable in the nation's fight against the COVID-19 crisis, Deputy Speaker of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) Ahmad Basarah stated in Jakarta on Monday while speaking during the commemoration of Pancasila Day.

"As a nation, Indonesia has had tremendous ideological and sociological capital that can be developed to foster social participation and serve as a source of energy to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic and its socio-economic impacts," he noted.

However, the Indonesian society can develop this collective strength if the central and regional governments work along with other stakeholders of the nation to capitalize on the people's ideological and sociological capital, Basarah remarked.

June 1 marks the commemoration of the birth of the state ideology of Pancasila. To this end, President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) held a virtual commemorative event at the Bogor Presidential Palace on Monday.

In his address to the nation, Jokowi affirmed that Pancasila functions as a guiding beacon to enliven the spirit of the Indonesian people's nationhood, mutual care and cooperation, and brotherhood in their pursuit to win the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

Jokowi reiterated that the COVID-19 pandemic has tested the endurance of Indonesians in their collective struggle.

The coronavirus pandemic has also tested the endurance of the nation's sacrifice, discipline, obedience, and mental fortitude in preparing apt and swift policies to respond to the challenges posed in this difficult time, he noted.

"In facing this test, Pancasila remains a guiding beacon to push us all to continue to forge ahead, stand united, be caring and sharing, and strengthen our nationhood," he noted at the virtual event in which the participants comprised Vice President Ma'ruf Amin and cabinet members.

The values of Pancasila have become a source of encouragement to uplift the spirit of the entire nation to reduce its common burden and rekindle the fighting spirit and endurance in dealing with difficulties and challenges, he stated.

Apart from Vice President Amin, Head of the Agency for Pancasila Ideology Education's (BPIP's) Advisory Council Megawati Soekarnoputri, House of Representatives’ Speaker Puan Maharani, and cabinet members also partook in the commemorative event.

The coronavirus disease, which initially hit the Chinese city of Wuhan at the end of 2019, has since spread to at least 202 countries and territories, including Indonesia, with a huge spike in death toll.

The Indonesian government officially announced the country's first confirmed cases on March 2 this year. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has weakened the purchasing power of scores of Indonesian families, particularly those who lost their jobs.

In dealing with this difficult situation, President Jokowi has repeatedly highlighted the importance of fostering the spirit of "gotong royong," arguing that the government cannot work alone to fight the spread of coronavirus infections. (ANTARA)