The Concept of Unen-Unen and Free Corruption Environment: An Anti-corruption Lesson from Javanese Heritage

Abstract

Corruption is generally attached to one's position to obtain personal gain and create disharmony in the community. The corruption in Indonesia somehow transforms into a detrimental problem nowadays. Therefore, this study aims at proposing an alternative concept of anticorruption from a Javanese cultural heritage which passed down from generation to generation. This anti-corruption concept formed into a variety or expression which is called unen-unen. It well known delivered from trans-generation by understanding the meaning of Unen-unen. This study record and explores Unen-unen from the book 1001 Pitutur Luhur Budaya Jawa (Ari, W. and Gunawan, W. 2014). The selection of Unen-unen was found contains the concept of anticorruption. It then analyzed using a qualitative approach using the Triangle Theory of Meanings of Odgen and Ricahrds (1952), and the Kohlberg (1995) Moral Development Theory. The analysis of this study reveals Unen-Unen has a unique concept of anti-corruption that can be used to teach a moral lesson from the early age to adults. It somehow ranges from phases pra-conventional to post-conventional as efforts to prevent the corruption.