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AKARTA: Indonesia is a model for “democracy at work” as evinced by its sound governance, despite the fact that various posts in the government are held by people from different parties, says the Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats (CALD).

“We are impressed with the democracy that is being developed in Indonesia,” CALD director Rajiva Wijesinha said in Nusa Dua, Bali, on Saturday.

Rajiva expressed his astonishment with Indonesia’s democracy during his opening remarks in an international conference titled Issues and Prospects on Pluralism and Development in Asia, which was jointly held by CALD and the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle Party (PDI-P) on Saturday.

“This conference is being held perfectly in Indonesia; a state that has many differences but has become one unity. The differences that persist become no hindrance in building a democratic climate,” Rajiva said.

“This democratic spirit is coherent with CALD’s philosophy, which respects freedom and human rights that protects plurality and respects minorities at the same time.”

Head of defense, security and international affairs at the PDI-P, Andreas Hugo Pareira, said that democracy, although initially originated in universal values, could also develop local values that were specific trademarks of Asian countries.

“Through this, conference democracy with Asian values would be developed. Critics of democracy implementation would also be discussed.”

50 participants from 16 Asian countries took part in this year’s international conference on democracy in Nusa Dua.