AHY: Democrats Champion Three Main Agendas for 25th Anniversary

Jakarta - Democratic Party Chairman Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono (AHY) stated that his party is championing three main agendas for its 25th anniversary, namely advancing the economy, upholding justice, and safeguarding democracy as the direction of its political struggle.

‘There are three main elements that will be the tagline for the Democratic Party’s 25th anniversary. First, advancing the economy. Second, upholding justice. Third, safeguarding democracy,’ AHY said during the kick-off event for the party’s 25th-anniversary series in Jakarta on Wednesday.

AHY explained that the agenda of advancing the economy stems from the Democratic Party’s experience leading the government, which prioritised high, equitable, and sustainable economic growth. He said this strategy is realised through four pillars: encouraging economic growth (pro-growth), creating jobs (pro-jobs), siding with the poor (pro-poor), and preserving the environment (pro-environment).

‘High growth must be accompanied by job creation. There should not be many layoffs, and people should not lose their jobs,’ he said. He stressed that development policies must also continue to side with the underprivileged so that Indonesia can escape the middle-income trap and become a high-income country.

Beyond the economy, AHY asserted that upholding justice is a crucial agenda the Democratic Party will continue to fight for. He believes the public certainly desires fair laws as well as equal opportunities in the economic, social, and political fields. ‘Justice must be upheld. The law must be enforced. It must not be sharp downwards but blunt upwards,’ he said.

AHY then discussed the third agenda, safeguarding democracy. He revealed that this has been the identity of the Democratic Party since its founding. Furthermore, AHY likened democracy to oxygen in daily life. ‘When there is a disruption in democratic life, we feel as if we are losing oxygen, gasping for air,’ he said.

Therefore, AHY stated that the Democratic Party views democracy as something that must be fought for, and his party will always stand on the front line to oversee the course of democracy in the country. On that occasion, AHY also launched a series of activities for the 25th anniversary of the Democratic Party, which includes social, environmental, youth, and sports activities, as well as organisational consolidation, as part of efforts to strengthen the party’s role in responding to the people’s aspirations.