T

he incoming government set to take power on Oct. 20 has assured the continuation of the Bali Democracy Forum, an international meeting initiated by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono in 2008, says an official.

Foreign Ministry director general for information and public diplomacy Esti Andayani said she was optimistic that president-elect Joko '€œJokowi'€ Widodo would not abandon all programs established by his predecessor.

Esti said that the upcoming seventh edition of the forum, which will be held at the Bali International Convention Center in Nusa Dua, Bali, on Oct. 10-11, would be special a occasion because Indonesia successfully held legislative and presidential elections this year.

'€œThe legislative and presidential elections were relatively calm this year despite little spats. Indonesia is a good example of a democratic country that can hold elections well,'€ she said.

President Yudhoyono would give his last remarks during the opening ceremony of the forum, she said.

Esti, who is the former Indonesian Ambassador to Norway and Iceland, said that Indonesia had used the forum as a foreign policy instrument as the forum provided a stage for Indonesia, as the world'€™s third-largest democracy, to share its experiences in democracy with other countries.

Under the theme '€œEvolving Regional Democratic Architecture: the Challenges of Political Development, Public Participation and Socio-Economic Progress in the 21st Century'€, 51 countries from the Asia Pacific, 64 countries from American, European and African continents and four international organizations will participate in the seventh forum, during which Philippine President Benigno Aquino III, Brunei Darussalam Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah and Timor Leste Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao are scheduled to give remarks.

Esti said she expected House of Representatives lawmakers to not reinstate the election of local leaders by Regional and Municipal Legislative Councils (DPRD) because direct elections were the essence of democracy.

'€œIt would be very difficult for me [as a diplomat] to explain Indonesia'€™s democracy to other [diplomats] from other countries if direct elections [for regional heads] were eliminated,'€ she said.

She made the statement in response to a reporter'€™s question about a moved made by Gerindra Party chief patron and losing presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto-led Red-and-White Coalition to put an end to the direct election of regional leaders after facing defeat in the legislative and presidential elections.

Prior to this year'€™s forum, Indonesia hosted the sixth United Nations Alliance of Civilization (UNAOC) global forum in August, which saw participation from representatives from 114 countries and 25 international organizations, in Nusa Dua to exchange ideas about advancing mutual interests across religions and cultures that could help reduce tensions worldwide. (alz)