Indonesia's Democracy Still Faces Challenges

Kyoto, Sept 29 (Antara) - Indonesia`s democracy still faces numerous challenges despite the country having progressed since the implementation of political reforms in 1998, stated President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. "Of course we are still facing a lot of problems. These problems have to be addressed by the next government. Over the past 10 years, (our) democracy has been stronger, and so the economy and other fields," he noted in his speech while receiving an honorary doctorate from Ritsumeikan University here on Monday. Democracy in Indonesia has continued to develop despite some existing problems over the last 10 years, he remarked. The expectations of the public, however, are very high to continue promoting democracy, he added. He affirmed that democracy was being promoted within the country itself. He further pointed out that democracy was not an instant process but rather an evolving one. Yudhoyono expressed disappointment with the recent decision taken by the House of Representatives to revert to the old system of holding indirect regional head elections. "I am disappointed with the controversial decision to terminate direct regional head elections. I disagree with the idea. We should have maintained the direct regional head election system by making some improvements. I will continue to fight for direct regional head elections," he stated. Yudhoyono revealed that he has finally got the answers to some questions that arose during the start of his presidential tenure in 2004 on whether democracy could go hand-in-hand with economic growth and Islam. "Our democracy has continued to be stable and has matured. There has been no point of return in our democracy, and we have never experienced military coup in Indonesia`s politics," he stated, adding that democracy has boosted the nation to become more democratic. "We have intensified human rights promotion, and over the past 10 years, there were no human rights violations in Indonesia. Can democracy separate us? In fact, it has united us, and our economy has continued to strengthen," he added.