The election of Anas has defeated all the odds. All early indications showed that the family of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, who founded the party, had favored Andi Mallarangeng, currently sports and youth affairs minister. Yudhoyono's son Edi Baskoro or Ibas had even given open support to Andi. Also, Anas spent less money than Andi in public campaigning. And yet, Anas won.

The party proves that it could select one of its best candidates without being tainted by money politics. The party's patron, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, openly told congress participants not to play money politics and use their conscience and hearts in voting for the party chairman. And the result shows that SBY meant what he said and he could restrain himself by not interfering in the elections.

The election of Anas as the party chairman serves as a good sign that Yudhoyono would not force his way into party affairs, and will likely give the new party chairman and senior leaders bigger roles in determining the future of the party.

Unlike former chairman Hadi Utomo, Anas has no family ties with Yudhoyono and his family. He has no special affiliation with the first family. He built his reputation in the party through hard work and political networking with party cadres in the regions.

Anas, a former chairman of the Indonesian Islamic Student Association, represents a big hope for the Democratic Party, especially for the 2014 elections when Yudhoyono is not allowed by the constitution to stand again for president. Anas has promised to transform the party into a modern party, a party not dependent on Yudhoyono.

Anas said recently that it would not be easy for the party to completely free itself from Yudhoyono's political influence, but said the party needed the courage to slowly walk out from under the President's shadow. "The Democratic Party has to begin to crawl, and then walk. It cannot sit forever comfortably on Pak SBY's lap."

Therefore, it is interesting to see how Anas would transform the party into a modern one, and how far Yudhoyono would allow Anas to do this work of transformation. It is also in the best interest of Yudhoyono and his family to see the Democratic Party transformed into a modern party, and not evolve as a family party.

As the biggest political party, the Democratic Party should set an example for the nation by showing what Yudhoyono terms as "civilized political culture". People are already fed up with many politicians who seem motivated not by their conscience but by money. In practice people face less and less choice when it comes to voting although many parties are theoretically available in the political market place.

Many of us would not go for religious-based political parties. But if the nationalistic political parties mostly belong to personalities and families than what is the choice? If not, they are heavily tainted by money politics. The Democratic Party is therefore one of a few modern-style choices available.

Therefore, before long, the party needs to transform itself into a modern party, a party not dependent on one personality, a party not controlled by family clans, a party not tainted by money politics. Only then, it could continue to become bigger and to play a bigger role in defining the future of Indonesia.

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