The Petition of Fifty (Indonesian: Petisi 50) was a document protesting then President Suharto's use of state philosophy Pancasila against political opponents.
Issued on 5 May 1980 as an "Expression of Concern", it was signed by fifty prominent Indonesians including former Army Chief of Staff Nasution, former Jakarta governor Ali Sadikin[1] and former prime ministers Burhanuddin Harahap and Mohammad Natsir.
By the Grace of God, we the undersigned, who are a group of voters in the last general elections, express the deep concern of the people over the remarks of President Suharto in his speeches before a meeting of the Armed Forces commanders in Pekanbaru on 27 March 1980 and at the anniversary of the Koppassandha in Cijantung on 16 April 1980.
In fact Pancasila was intended by the founders of the Republic of Indonesia as a means to unite the Nation; c) Justify non-praiseworthy actions by the authorities to make plans to suspend the 1945 Constitution using the Seven Articles [Armed Forced Oath] and the Soldier's Oath as an excuse, despite the fact that it is not possible for these oaths to be above the 1945 Constitution; d) Persuading the Armed Forces to take sides, not standing above all societal groups, but choosing their friends and enemies based on the based assessment of the authorities; e) Give the impression that he is the personification of Pancasila such that any rumour about him is interpreted as being anti-Pancasila; f) Make accusations there are efforts to take up arms, subvert, infiltrate or other evil efforts against the forthcoming general election Given the thoughts contained in these speeches of President Suharto are an inseparable element of the implementation of governing the nation and of the forthcoming general election, we urge the representatives in the House of Representatives and People's Consultative Assembly to respond to the president's speeches on 27 March and 16 April 1980.
Trimurti, Chris Siner Key Timu, Maqdir Ismail, Alex Jusuf Malik SH, Julius Hussein SE, Darsjaf Rahman, Slamet Bratanata, Endy Syafruddin, Wachdiat Sukardi, Ibu Theodora Walandouw, Hoegeng, M. Sriamin, Edi Haryono, Dr. A.H. Nasution, Drs A.M. Fatwa, Indra K. Budenani, Drs.
[9] On 1 August 1980, Suharto wrote to DPR Speaker Daryatmo with his response, enclosing a transcripts of his two speeches that prompted the "Expression of Concern".
[10] As the government controlled all committees, genuine public discourse was thus concluded and the "New Order" status-quo of dwifungsi, the unity of Golkar and ABRI, and the preeminence of Pancasila were re-asserted.
[11] In his Independence Day speech the same August, Suharto reiterated that "The one and only way for us to take is to implement development...[for which purpose] we must all be able to maintain dynamic regional stability.