"Nowadays, a lot of people on social media call for the disbandment of DPR RI (House of Representatives) and political parties. Ladies and gentlemen, this is a poor choice. I wish to underscore that existing DPR or political parties, no matter how bad, is better than not having the DPR or political parties at all," Mahfud said.
Monarchies, especially those without established parliament, have more leeway to commit abuses, as their subjects have no means to control their rulers, he pointed out during his sermon at the Gadjah Mada University Campus Mosque here, Sunday (April 2) evening.
He drew attention to rampant incidents of abuses and despotism during the Islamic Caliphate period, which had a monarchy form of government while adding that ulemas were murdered at that time, as they dissented with their rulers.
"Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal, the person whose Islamic jurisprudence teachings we follow now, was jailed and abused because he held a different opinion from the caliph, and everyone was afraid to restrain them," Mahfud remarked.
On the contrary, a democracy, despite the varied qualities of its political parties, has a constitution that can be the instrument to improve the nation and the parliament. The constitution must exist, as it provides a guide to address national issues, he emphasized.
"Hence, while confronting current issues, we must never consider abandoning democracy, not at all. We must continue to be a democracy. The solution is to improve our political parties and the DPR together," the coordinating minister stated.
Mahfud also underlined that political parties are a constitutional instrument to maintain the country while emphasizing the need for efforts to be made to improve its management and recruitment of politicians.
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Translator: Nabil Ihsan
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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