By Rahmad Nasution
Nusa Dua (Antara Bali) - Indonesia's role in promoting the universal values of democracy through the Bali Democracy Forum (BDF) has widely been recognized in the Asia Pacific region over the past three years.
The increasing number of delegates and observers attending the BDF, which has been held for the third time in Bali's Nusa Dua resort since 2008, has shown that international recognition to Indonesia's strategy of introducing and promoting democracy through this intergovernmental forum.
At the first meeting in December 2008, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono had emphasized "sharing experience, thoughts and ideas for cooperation to advance democracy" as the BDF's main objective.
At the time, the Indonesian head of state said: "We are not trying to impose a particular model on any of us. We are not here to debate a commonly agreed definition of democracy for which I believe there is none."
"We have come here (to Bali) not to preach, not to point fingers. Indeed, we have come here to share our respective experience, our thoughts and or ideas for cooperation to advance democracy," President Yudhoyono said in his opening remarks three years ago.
The recognition to Indonesia's credibility as the BDF initiator is not only related to its strategy but also to its remarkable achievement in practicing democracy since the end of the New Order regime in 1998.
Considering its remarkable experience, Australian Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd, who spoke to the third BDF participants here Thursday, described Indonesia as a "great success story and beacon of democracy" in the Asia Pacific region.
Rudd had even called Indonesia an "emerging democracy" which had so far held at least 500 direct popular elections over the past 12 years.
"Indonesians believe in democracy. Recent polling shows that seventy percent say democracy is the best political system for the country. Indonesians are embracing the right to vote. Seventy percent of all registered voters cast their vote in the 2009 general election."
Rudd, who was the co-chairman of the first BDF with President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono when he was Australian prime minister in 2008, argued that the registered voters' participation rate in the 2009 elections was among the highest one in the world for democracies which had no compulsory voting.
Indonesia's experience in practicing democracy is even more special due to the fact that it is a country with the biggest Muslim population in the world.
In this archipelagic country, Islam and democracy have evidently been able to "thrive together" and been "perfectly reconcilable," Rudd said.
With its strong foundation of tolerance and pluralism, Indonesia's achievements had so much to offer as "a model for dialogue and understanding between the different religions of the world".
The third BDF was officially opened by Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono who then co-chaired its leaders' session along with South Korean President Lee Myung-bak.
Kevin Rudd also echoed his country's commitment to working with Muslim communities all over the world.
"Australia is a country which, within its borders, hosts communities from all over the world's great religions. We want to work with our Muslim brothers and sisters across the world," he said.
Working all the great religions across the world was "entirely consistent with and supportive of tolerance and mutual respect in the secular project that is democracy," he added.
Indonesia's achievement in democracy has also been praised by East Timorese prime minister Xanana Gusmao who said that Indonesia was "a reference of success" to his country in connection with institutional and political reforms as well as adoption of culture of tolerance and unity.
"Indonesia has been a reference of success to Timor Leste. Its institutional and political reforms, its adoption of a culture of tolerance and unity, particularly in such a diverse country, and its ongoing process of economic growth and democratization is a model for us," he said.
Xanana Gusmao, who has attended the BDF for the third time, is the world's leader who is present in the two-day meeting along with President Lee Myung-bak and Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei Darussalam.
President Lee Myung-bak, who co-chaired the BDF leaders' session appreciated Indonesia's initiative in establishing the democracy forum because it was "excellent in terms of substance and proceedings".
"This forum is a great asset for Asian countries," he said adding that South Korea could also learn from Indonesia in the matter of pluralism.
A part from the praises and recognition that Indonesia gained from the old and new democracies, such as Australia and East Timor, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono had reminded that democracy was not something that came by itself and could neither be forced from outside.
Instead, "democracy must be grown up from within the society itself by providing the society members with greater opportunities, wide space and empowerment." The externally-forced democracy could even bring political complications, he said.
President Yudhoyono further argued that democracy was not enough to gain national prosperity and a high level of development because it should be supplemented with the rule of law, unity and the nation's hard work.
President Yudhoyono's argument is so reasonable by considering such crucial elements of democracy as the rule of law, independent judiciaries, active civil societies, transparent governance, and free press.
Despite the evidence of these all crucial elements of democracy, they were not yet adopted and practiced as "the norm" across the Asia Pacific region, Kevin Rudd said.
In other words, democracy was not a finish line and irreversible. It could even be crumbled by corruption, poor governance, and inequality, he said.
Japanese Foreign Minister Seiji Maehara, who also spoke at the BDF leaders' session, also underlined the significance of people's prosperity in establishing a healthy and flourishing democracy.
The Asian experience had shown that peace, stability and prosperity through vigorous development in the region had provided the basis of democracy, he said.
In advancing democracy in Asia, "the sustainably strong economic development", "the promotion of regional cooperation" and "securing stability in the region" were the key points, Seiji Maehara reminded.
These three key points need to be continuously addressed by Indonesia and other countries, which have chosen democracy as their vehicle to create social justice and prosperity.(*)
COPYRIGHT © ANTARA News Bali 2010
Nusa Dua (Antara Bali) - Indonesia's role in promoting the universal values of democracy through the Bali Democracy Forum (BDF) has widely been recognized in the Asia Pacific region over the past three years.
The increasing number of delegates and observers attending the BDF, which has been held for the third time in Bali's Nusa Dua resort since 2008, has shown that international recognition to Indonesia's strategy of introducing and promoting democracy through this intergovernmental forum.
At the first meeting in December 2008, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono had emphasized "sharing experience, thoughts and ideas for cooperation to advance democracy" as the BDF's main objective.
At the time, the Indonesian head of state said: "We are not trying to impose a particular model on any of us. We are not here to debate a commonly agreed definition of democracy for which I believe there is none."
"We have come here (to Bali) not to preach, not to point fingers. Indeed, we have come here to share our respective experience, our thoughts and or ideas for cooperation to advance democracy," President Yudhoyono said in his opening remarks three years ago.
The recognition to Indonesia's credibility as the BDF initiator is not only related to its strategy but also to its remarkable achievement in practicing democracy since the end of the New Order regime in 1998.
Considering its remarkable experience, Australian Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd, who spoke to the third BDF participants here Thursday, described Indonesia as a "great success story and beacon of democracy" in the Asia Pacific region.
Rudd had even called Indonesia an "emerging democracy" which had so far held at least 500 direct popular elections over the past 12 years.
"Indonesians believe in democracy. Recent polling shows that seventy percent say democracy is the best political system for the country. Indonesians are embracing the right to vote. Seventy percent of all registered voters cast their vote in the 2009 general election."
Rudd, who was the co-chairman of the first BDF with President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono when he was Australian prime minister in 2008, argued that the registered voters' participation rate in the 2009 elections was among the highest one in the world for democracies which had no compulsory voting.
Indonesia's experience in practicing democracy is even more special due to the fact that it is a country with the biggest Muslim population in the world.
In this archipelagic country, Islam and democracy have evidently been able to "thrive together" and been "perfectly reconcilable," Rudd said.
With its strong foundation of tolerance and pluralism, Indonesia's achievements had so much to offer as "a model for dialogue and understanding between the different religions of the world".
The third BDF was officially opened by Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono who then co-chaired its leaders' session along with South Korean President Lee Myung-bak.
Kevin Rudd also echoed his country's commitment to working with Muslim communities all over the world.
"Australia is a country which, within its borders, hosts communities from all over the world's great religions. We want to work with our Muslim brothers and sisters across the world," he said.
Working all the great religions across the world was "entirely consistent with and supportive of tolerance and mutual respect in the secular project that is democracy," he added.
Indonesia's achievement in democracy has also been praised by East Timorese prime minister Xanana Gusmao who said that Indonesia was "a reference of success" to his country in connection with institutional and political reforms as well as adoption of culture of tolerance and unity.
"Indonesia has been a reference of success to Timor Leste. Its institutional and political reforms, its adoption of a culture of tolerance and unity, particularly in such a diverse country, and its ongoing process of economic growth and democratization is a model for us," he said.
Xanana Gusmao, who has attended the BDF for the third time, is the world's leader who is present in the two-day meeting along with President Lee Myung-bak and Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei Darussalam.
President Lee Myung-bak, who co-chaired the BDF leaders' session appreciated Indonesia's initiative in establishing the democracy forum because it was "excellent in terms of substance and proceedings".
"This forum is a great asset for Asian countries," he said adding that South Korea could also learn from Indonesia in the matter of pluralism.
A part from the praises and recognition that Indonesia gained from the old and new democracies, such as Australia and East Timor, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono had reminded that democracy was not something that came by itself and could neither be forced from outside.
Instead, "democracy must be grown up from within the society itself by providing the society members with greater opportunities, wide space and empowerment." The externally-forced democracy could even bring political complications, he said.
President Yudhoyono further argued that democracy was not enough to gain national prosperity and a high level of development because it should be supplemented with the rule of law, unity and the nation's hard work.
President Yudhoyono's argument is so reasonable by considering such crucial elements of democracy as the rule of law, independent judiciaries, active civil societies, transparent governance, and free press.
Despite the evidence of these all crucial elements of democracy, they were not yet adopted and practiced as "the norm" across the Asia Pacific region, Kevin Rudd said.
In other words, democracy was not a finish line and irreversible. It could even be crumbled by corruption, poor governance, and inequality, he said.
Japanese Foreign Minister Seiji Maehara, who also spoke at the BDF leaders' session, also underlined the significance of people's prosperity in establishing a healthy and flourishing democracy.
The Asian experience had shown that peace, stability and prosperity through vigorous development in the region had provided the basis of democracy, he said.
In advancing democracy in Asia, "the sustainably strong economic development", "the promotion of regional cooperation" and "securing stability in the region" were the key points, Seiji Maehara reminded.
These three key points need to be continuously addressed by Indonesia and other countries, which have chosen democracy as their vehicle to create social justice and prosperity.(*)
Editor : Nyoman Budhiana
COPYRIGHT © ANTARA News Bali 2010