"God willing in 2014 the Democratic Party could again become the winner," head of the party`s foreign affairs department, Nurhayati
Ali Assegaf, said at the parliament building here on Wednesday.
She noted that President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono`s concern over the declining popularity of the party must be responded to by party members through working harder.
"Cadres must be optimistic. God willing, this will be the nadir and after that we will spur on the people to know what SBY (Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono) and the party have done," she said.
She added that the decline in the party`s popularity is not the responsibility of SBY, as chief patron, or the general chairman or secretary general, but all party members.
"The question now is how to regain public trust. So, let us rebuild the party`s reputation," said Nurhayati, who is also a member of the House of Representatives` Commission I dealing with foreign affairs said.
She warned that the storms that have hit the Democratic Party would still continue until 2014, and therefore party members must work hard to respond to them.
"What we need is solidity, solidarity among cadres and strengthening the constituents (especially among House faction members)," she said.
Nurhayati also said the Democratic Party remains serious in its campaigns promoting anti-corruption and the rule of law.
"It has been approved with the party`s decision to suspend cadres who have been named suspects in connection with their legal cases," she said.
"That is the firm action of SBY. The Democratic Party remains serious in its campaign against corruption and people know it. People believe in what SBY and the party leaders have done," she said.
Referring to other political parties, she said she hoped they would respect the rights of the Democratic Party.
"We have seen party members from other parties who were involved in legal cases and became suspects, but were not fired or suspended like cadres of the Democratic Party," she said, emphasizing how serious the Democratic Party was in its campaign to promote rule of law.
"So I am convinced, God willing, that the Democratic Party would still win in the 2014 general elections, so long as cadres remained solid, maintain their constituents, are loyal to the party`s principles, smart, civil and take care of each other. Like a house, we must not allow it to be destroyed by storm from outside or inside," she said.
She further hoped all party members would follow SBY`s directives and leadership and would not speak out in public. "What happens inside need not be revealed to the media. Do not present a bad show to the public," she urged.(*)
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Editor: Jafar M Sidik
Copyright © ANTARA 2012
