In the era of Society 5.0, where technology becomes the main pillar of societal life, the role of students in Indonesia is crucial to ensure the country’s progress toward sustainable development. Students serve as the driving force to eradicate corruption, thereby pushing Indonesia closer to realizing the concept of Society 5.0.

“Society 5.0, a concept that integrates technology into daily life, has become a major focus alongside Industry 4.0. However, challenges arise, especially concerning the role of technology in combating corruption—a persistent issue that hinders Indonesia’s progress,” said Cesar Sanabil Pasya.

Cesar, a Public Administration student at the Faculty of Administrative Sciences, Universitas Indonesia (FIA UI), expressed this viewpoint in his paper titled “The Role of Students in Eradicating Corruption to Promote Society 5.0 in Indonesia Based on Critical Discourse Analysis Theory through the Development of an Integrated Website”, which he presented at the National Essay Competition organized by MPM Politeknik Negeri Jember.

His paper offers a critical perspective on the challenges Indonesia faces in implementing the Society 5.0 concept. Using Critical Discourse Analysis Theory, the work explores the role of students in eradicating corruption as a fundamental step toward advancing Indonesia into the Society 5.0 era.

Cesar also emphasized the need to reform the implementation of E-Government as a means for the government to enhance public services through information technology.

“Indonesia has made significant progress in adopting technology but still faces challenges in combating corruption—particularly in large-scale infrastructure projects like the 4G Base Transceiver Station (BTS). The corruption case involving this project highlights a major obstacle to further progress,” he explained.

Furthermore, his work proposes a solution through active student participation. By understanding Social Constructionism Theory and applying Critical Discourse Analysis, students are encouraged to drive change by developing an integrated website. This platform is designed to serve as a channel for public aspirations, adopting whistleblowing principles, and gathering broad public support to fight corruption.

“There needs to be nationwide student integration through this platform to create a larger social and political impact. In this way, the legislative role of students can become a powerful force driving Indonesia toward the desired Society 5.0,” he emphasized.

Cesar’s paper earned him first place in the National Essay Competition organized by MPM Politeknik Negeri Jember. He credited his success to analytical thinking combined with a comprehensive discussion and an innovative and feasible solution that enabled him to produce a strong essay and achieve first place.

“My preparation included revisiting lecture materials related to the competition’s theme and reviewing academic journals to expand my knowledge. Beyond that, I put in my best effort and relied on prayer,” he said.

The Legislative Essay Competition 2023 is a scientific essay writing competition open to D3/D4/S1 students from public and private universities across Indonesia. The competition encourages creative ideas and innovative solutions grounded in scientific reasoning and reliable information. Essays can also present urgent issues and propose solutions following academic guidelines.

With the theme “The Role of Students as Young Legislators for the Realization of Good Governance,” the Legislative Essay Competition 2023 was organized by the Student Representative Council of Politeknik Negeri Jember. The competition, held from September 11 to September 23, 2023, aims to generate ideas that provide a foundation for future policy-making and offer solutions to current issues.