Presiden SBY Buka Bali Democracy Forum ke-7 di Bali
Indonesia`s Outgoing President Inaugurated 7th Bali Democracy Forum
Editor : Cahyani Harzi
Translator : Dhelia Gani
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Nusa Dua, Bali (B2B) - Presiden Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono saat berbagi kisah tentang kesuksesan pelaksanaan pemilihan umum presiden baru-baru ini dalam Forum Demokrasi Bali (BDF) VII di Nusa Dua, Bali, Jumat, mengakui bahwa penerapan demokrasi bukanlah hal yang mudah.
"Pemilihan umum tidak mudah dilaksanakan. Itu melelahkan, rumit, mahal, memecah belah dan bahkan emosional ... Tidak ada yang mengatakan bahwa demokrasi itu mudah," kata Presiden dalam acara tahunan yang dihadiri tiga kepala negara sahabat itu.
Namun, lanjut dia, ketika nanti presiden baru dilantik, Indonesia telah membuktikan pada rakyatnya dan masyarakat dunia jika mampu melakukan transfer kekuasaan secara damai dan konstitusional.
Ia kemudian menjelaskan bahwa sekitar 135 juta rakyat Indonesia telah turut ambil bagian dalam salah satu proses pemilihan umum terbesar di dunia yang melibatkan 500 juta bilik suara untuk memilih lebih dari seribu anggota parlemen serta presiden dan wakil presiden itu.
Ia mencatat kesuksesan penyelenggaraan pemilu di Indonesia itu sebagai satu dari sejumlah keberhasilan transfer kekuasaan dengan damai di dunia, antara lain Aljazair, Brazil, Fiji, India, Iran, Selandia Baru, Afrika Selatan, dan Turki.
Namun, menurut Presiden, di tengah sejumlah keberhasilan pelaksanaan pemilu di dunia tersebut, dunia juga dihadapkan pada situasi yang sulit dengan memburuknya hubungan di antara negara-negara maju. Ia merujuk pada kasus di Ukraina yang melibatkan negara-negara maju dan sengketa di Asia Timur.
"Kita juga menjadi saksi transisi demokrasi yang tidak mulus, terutama di Timur Tengah," katanya merujuk pada Mesir, Irak, Tunisia dan Libya.
Oleh karena itu, ia berharap BDF dapat terus tumbuh dan berkembang serta menawarkan pengalaman-pengalaman terbaik dalam pelaksanaan demokrasi bagi negara-negara di dunia.
Acara tahunan yang telah digelar sejak 2008 itu kali ini dipimpin bersama oleh Presiden Yudhoyono dan Presiden Filipina Benigno Simeon Aquino III.
Dua kepala pemerintahan yang secara rutin menghadiri acara tersebut, yaitu Sultan Brunei Darussalam Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah dan PM Timor Leste Kay Rala Xanana Gusmao juga hadir dalam BDF terakhir yang dibuka oleh Presiden Yudhoyono --yang akan mengakhiri masa jabatannya pada 20 Oktober. (Ant)
Nusa Dua, Bali (B2B) - Indonesia's outgoing president, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono inaugurated the 7th Bali Democracy Forum (BDF) at Nusa Dua Resort, in Bali, on Friday.
The annual forum, since its initiation in 2008, is now being co-chaired by President Yudhoyono and the Philippines President Benigno Simeon Aquino III.
It is the last time that President Yudhoyono will open the BDF before ending his tenure on October 20, 2014.
During his opening address, Yudhoyono emphasized that the implementation of democracy was not easy, but Indonesia could achieve a peaceful and constitutional transfer of power.
"No one said democracy was easy. But, time and again, when the next president is sworn in days from now, Indonesia will have proved, to our people and to the world, that we can achieve a peaceful and constitutional transfer of power," he noted.
Themed "Evolving Regional Democratic Architecture: The Challenges of Political Development, Public Participation, and Socio-Economic Progress in the 21st Century," the 7th BDF will be held at the Bali International Convention Center (BICC) on October 10-11, 2014.
Yudhoyono pointed out that political development, socio-economic progress, and public participation are the three essential and complementary elements that support a working democracy.
"They must all be present and working together to make a democracy viable. The more number of countries succeed in achieving all three of them, the stronger will be the democratic architecture in our region," he emphasized.
The president remarked that democracy without political development is a democracy at a standstill and akin to walking on a treadmill.
According to him, such a scenario means that institutions do not develop, reforms do not take place, and political capacity does not grow.
"Thus, in the absence of political development, we will end up with political decay," he stated.
Yudhoyono further added that democracy without socio-economic progress is a democracy that fails to live up to the peoples expectations.
"It is the main business of a democracy to create opportunities for a better life for its people and to satisfy their common sense of social justice," he pointed out.
"Thus, when the people perceive no socio-economic progress, they may exercise their right to choose new and more effective leaders," he reiterated.
The president also pointed out that democracy without public participation is hollow.
"A healthy democracy is one where the public is constantly engaged in issues that affect them and one where their leaders are responsive to their needs," he added.
