Page 91 - BUKU STRENGTHENING THE INDONESIAN PARLIAMENTARY DIPLOMACY FADLI ZON

In 1998, major financial crisis hit Indonesia. The crisis that began on the financial sector,
inevitably lead to the socio-political crisis. Following the crisis, Indonesia has experienced a
significant political transformation. Since then, there has been some progress toward more
consolidated democracy. These include freedom of expression, free and fair electoral process,
and direct parliamentary and presidential elections.

Furthermore, we shifted from centralized to decentralized by devolving more executive and
legislative powers to our local governments, and by giving them a greater share of resources for
own development. Our national police became a purely civilian institution, while our military
establishment moved out of politics in order to focus on national defense and security.
In December 2015, Indonesia had just achieved another milestone of democracy. We have
successfully conducted simultaneous regional elections in 269 regions throughout the nation.
Not only to elect governors and vice-governors, but also mayors and regents to replace those
who ended their term of office in 2015.

In dealing with substantial democracy, we also have made progress within that dimension. We
reformed the infrastructure of our economy, waged a battle against corruption, collusion and
nepotism, and restored the focus of national development for the purpose of people prosperity.
We made four substantive amendments to our constitution to ensure that our people fully enjoy
their right of suffrage and to refine our political institutions. The presidents have also been
limited to two five-years terms.

Today, Indonesia with 260 million people have succeeded to pass peaceful transition to
democracy. Since we are also the country with the world’s largest Muslim population, we have
also become the living proof that Islam, democracy and modernization can flourish together.
Indonesia has showed the world that Islam and democracy are compatible. Indonesia has
showed as well that there is no contradiction between Islamic ideals and the democractic
principles of equality, liberty, and pluralism.

In closing, democracy is not always the best form of government. Democracy is not one size-fit
all model around the world. There is no single way in defining how democracy should work
in society. Democracy in each state should be developed based on its own culture and history.
Democracy guarantees equal opportunity for all citizens. Democracy should be an instrument
for the government to achive prosperity for the people. Therefore, in our perspectives, the idea
of democracy contains not only political democracy, but also economic social democracy.
And I hope nations in our region will get better and better at being a democracy as the years
go by.

78 I Selected Speeches of the Vice Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Republic of Indonesia