Semarang State University’s Right of Reply

Tempo ()

Semarang State University’s Right of Reply

I WOULD like to exercise the right of reply to the article A University Car for Mr. Minister in Tempo English, February 1, 2021 edition: 

1. The article contains mistaken, biased information and a trial by the press that is very damaging to Rector Prof. Dr. Fathur Rokhman and Semarang State University (Unnes).

2. Tempo wrote that the Unnes Rector was proven to have committed plagiarism. This information is incorrect and has the potential for libel. Based on the letter the Rector of Gadjah Mada University (UGM) No. 1720/UN1.P/SET-R//HK/2020 dated April 2, 2020, the allegation of plagiarism against Fathur Rokhman was declared unproven. The fact was again maintained in the letter of the UGM Rector No. 2555/UN1.P/SET-R/HK/2020 dated May 18, 2020 stating that the UGM, on its authority, had conducted an examination by involving personnel who were credible and expert in the law of evidence and copyrights. Results of the examination revealed that the allegation of plagiarism against the Unnes Rector’s dissertation was unproven. These facts show that the plagiarism accusation against Prof. Fathur Rokhman was unproven.

3. Tempo wrote in its news summary: “The dissertation and work of Unnes Rector Fathur Rokhman was proven to have copied his student’s work”. This is very damaging to Prof. Fathur Rokhman because it is the opposite of the legal and academic facts as already explained in point 2. The justification constitutes a form of trial by the press that is considerably damaging. 

4. Tempo used the title A University Car for Mr. Minister to create the framing that the gratuities of Prof. Fathur Rokhman M. Hum for Prof. Mohamad Nasir was something that made the decision of the Research and Higher Education Minister declared the plagiarism unproven. In fact, the Secretary of the Higher Education Director-General had clarified that the team assigned was an independent one and had made a study proving that Prof. Fathur Rokhman did not commit plagiarism. The car used by Minister M. Nasir was that prepared by the protocol team of the Research Ministry.

5. We request that Tempo magazine withdraw the report. 

Muhamad Burhanudin
Head, Technical Executive Unit, Public Relations Center, Semarang State University, Central Java

Thank you for your respond. The rector of Semarang State University Fathur Rakhman was proven committed plagiarism by a team that was set up by the Ministry of Research and Higher Education, and Honorary Council of Gadjah Mada University. We also had requested a respond from Fathur Rakhman about the suspicion of plagiarism. About the car being used by Minister Nasir, we got the information from several sources and was not denied by Nasir—Ed.

The Impact of Online Learning

WHILE offering ease, online learning during the coronavirus pandemic causes character education to be neglected. The exemplary deeds of educators directly seen and felt by students are no longer there. Many lecturers complain about declining students’ participation in online learning. They have difficulty in ascertaining whether their students follow online learning seriously. 

Exercise sessions and practical work at laboratories are also neglected. In fact, the learning material educates students to have positive character traits like accuracy, assiduity, honesty, caution, persistence and appreciation of a process. What is feared is that if this pandemic takes a long time, the nation’s younger generation will get used to the various conveniences that are not educative and not conducive to proper maturity.

The nation no longer faces the threat of shortage of intellectuals in the present era of the Internet. The unlimited access to information makes it easier for everybody to learn everything. However, learning is different from education, let alone character education. The nation needs a younger generation with positive character. This can only be achieved through character education by emphasizing educators’ role-model deeds that have to be directly observed and imitated by students.

For this reason, it is the time for the government to think of a method to substitute the character education being ignored in the current pandemic period. The loss of values of character education should not become part of the new normal. Its consequence is that we will later feel nothing wrong to see the younger generation deprived of positive character, because our education is finally dominated by online learning that only prioritizes the transfer of knowledge without instilling the values of noble character.

Sulastri Oktaviani Manalu
Medan Area University, North Sumatra