Seminar Internasional Politik 2011

Seminar Internasional Politik 2011.

Political Party Must Ensure People’s Prosperity

London (SINDO) – All political parties should place job creation, provision of housing and education as their top priority programs. Basic needs that are met will make people’s lives no longer vulnerable.

Therefore, political parties should not merely spread empty promises or take short cuts (to obtain leadership positions), but should also find solutions to existing problems of the country. One of the main speakers, the Mayor of London Borough of Tower Hamlets, Lutfur Rahman said that, if a person has sufficient income and decent housing, the chance to obtain education for his family is higher. “Jobs, housing, and education are our key programs,” said Lutfur Rahman in the international seminar themed Indonesia’s Future Political Landscape: Challenges Facing Political Party held by the Center for Information and Services (PIP) Prosperous Justice Party UK, as reported by SINDO correspondent in London Nurani  Susilo, Wednesday (19 / 1). The first UK Muslim mayor’s opinion was authorized by the Vice Chairman of the House of Representatives Anis Matta who stated that all countries in the world, Muslims or non-Muslims alike have the same challenges namely people’s welfare and democracy.

According to the Secretary General of the Prosperous Justice Party, democracy can be run in countries with per capita incomes above USD 6.000. Democracy transition occurs in countries with per capita income of USD3.000 to USD6.000. In countries with income below USD 3,000, democracy has never been proven to be alive. Indonesia’s current per capita income, according to Anis, is around USD 3,000.

“Therefore, the question for Indonesia and its political parties is how to increase per capita income for (the sake of) democracy,” said Anis at the seminar that also presented speakers from members of the House of Lord (High Council of the UK Parliament) of the Labor Party and the Conservative Party. In addition to people’s welfare, the challenges facing political parties in Indonesia are the capacity of their managing board members and their recruitment. The low capacity of managers and party leaders turns Indonesia’s political environment to instability.

Meanwhile, M. Amin of the state Conservative Party stated that one indicator that democracy is working well is when the losing party at the election is ready and able to accept defeat. Instead of accusing the winning party of committing fraud.

He pointed out as an example the Labor Party in Britain that currently becomes the opposition after losing the election last year. The Labor Party, according to Amin, devotes itself to the Queen of England as an opposition party and monitors the ruling party’s policies on the basis of national interest. “However, what’s happening in many countries is that the losing party at the election does not accept defeat,” said Ali.

PKS President Lutfi Hasan Ishaaq added that the current Indonesia is still filled with old leaders and public figures. “Indonesia needs new figures and leaders who can transmit the progresses in developed countries such as the UK to Indonesia,” said Lutfi. He then said that a nation of Indonesia’s size cannot be led by merely one or two people. Indonesia should have a ´stock´ of new leadership that are open and adoptive in order to make changes. “They should be selected on the basis of their capacity, or skills, and not on the basis of their financial capabilities, as what has been the case in many political parties in Indonesia,” said Lutfi.

This international seminar in London that was opened by the Indonesia’s Ambassador for the UK Yuri Thamrin Oktavian was within a series of events in the PIP PKS UK’s Board of Leaders’ Conference. In addition to members of political parties of the UK and members of the UK senate, the speakers at the seminar also consisted of UK academics and London Muslim leaders. Other than the PKS President and its General Secretary, the International seminar and PIP PKS’s Board of Leaders’ Conference was also attended by some of its Central Board of Leaders’ (DPP) Managers.

They chose to visit the UK because the UK has a long experience with democracy and has given birth to national leaders.