"Therefore, Indonesia`s democracy is laudable and proof that democracy is better than dictatorship, particularly for ensuring welfare, safety, freedom of religion, and women`s rights," President Lee Myung-bak of South Korea said.Nusa Dua, Bali (ANTARA News) - President Lee Myung-bak of South Korea stated that Indonesia is a good example of democratic developing country as well as a role model in Islamic democracy for other developing countries.
"Therefore, Indonesia`s democracy is laudable and proof that democracy is better than dictatorship, particularly for ensuring welfare, safety, freedom of religion, and women`s rights," Lee said in his speech on the opening of `Bali Democracy Forum` (BDF) here on Thursday.
On the occasion, Lee also expressed appreciation to Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono who has been able to bring about democracy in Indonesia and create harmony in the community.
"About twenty years ago, many people think it is difficult to make Indonesia become a democratic country. However, we can now see that Indonesia has managed to get out of its political and social conflicts which are initially difficult to control," Lee said.
According to him, Indonesia has now become one of the countries in Southeast Asia with fairly stable democratic conditions. "Moreover, most Indonesians support democracy as a political system," he noted.
He said that prospects of democracy in Asia have been brighter shown by the great enthusiasm to build a more mature democracy.
Lee referred to Myanmar as another country in Southeast Asia that that has been experiencing the development of democracy shown by its democratic election in 2012.
He considered one of the themes raised in the fifth BDF very correct namely about the issue of human rights.
"More transparent governments, democratic elections, clean law enforcement, the protection of women`s rights and minorities, and freedom of religion are the huge trends of this year," he stated.
On the fifth BDF, President Yudhoyono acts as the forum`s chair with South Korean President Lee Myung-bak and Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard as co-chairs.
The political and democratic forum is attended by thousands of delegates from 83 countries in the Asia Pacific region.
The event is also attended by eleven heads of states or governments, namely Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai, Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard, the Sultan of Brunei Darussalam Hassanal Bolkiah, the Prime Minister of Timor Leste Xanana Gusmao, Iran President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Deputy Prime Minister of Nepal Narayan Kaji Shrestha, Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea Peter O�Neill, Deputy Prime Minister of Singapore Teo Chee Hean, South Korean President Lee Myung-bak, Prime Minister of Thailand Yingluck Shinawatra, and Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.(*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
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