Former Leaders of People's Consultative Assembly and House of Representatives 1999-2024 Establish National Forum as Communication Platform
Bambang Soesatyo, a member of the House of Representatives and 15th Chairman of the People’s Consultative Assembly, has initiated the National Forum of MPR-DPR Leaders 1999-2024 as a platform for cross-generational networking among parliamentary leadership. The forum serves as a space to consolidate strategic perspectives from these senior figures in responding to increasingly complex national challenges.
Soesatyo explained that the forum was established as a venue for networking and national communication across generations of state institution leaders who have carried constitutional responsibilities.
“Through this forum, we want to gather strategic perspectives to strengthen the direction of national policy whilst providing intellectual contributions to state administrators,” Soesatyo stated in a statement on Monday, 9 March 2026.
He made the announcement whilst hosting an iftar gathering and networking event with former MPR and DPR leaders from the 1999-2024 period at Parle Senayan in Jakarta on Sunday evening (8 March).
Soesatyo explained that the forum brings together former MPR and DPR leaders from the reform era onwards, who have direct experience navigating various national crises including post-reform economic challenges, political conflicts and democratic consolidation.
“The experience of former state institution leaders is a valuable asset for the nation. We want to gather these strategic perspectives so they can provide a broader outlook in responding to various national challenges,” said Soesatyo.
He considers the role of senior figures important in maintaining democratic balance, especially amid rapid social and technological changes. Soesatyo noted that the social media era has drastically altered political communication patterns, whilst public discussion spaces are often filled with emotional and polarised narratives.
“This national networking initiative is expected to produce concrete contributions in the form of strategic ideas that can be conveyed to state administrators, including the President. This represents our moral responsibility in maintaining a conducive political climate for the nation’s future,” he said.
Soesatyo added that similar practices are conducted in various countries. In the United States, former senior officials frequently participate in policy forums or think tanks, whilst in Japan and South Korea, former parliamentary leaders are involved in consultative forums to discuss strategic issues.
“If former state institution leaders can unite in contributing constructive thinking, I am confident that such contributions will enrich the government’s perspective in formulating strategic policies for our nation and state,” Soesatyo concluded.
The event was attended by several MPR and DPR leaders from the 1999-2024 period, including former House of Representatives Chairmen Agung Laksono and Marzuki Ali, as well as former People’s Consultative Assembly Chairmen Hidayat Nur Wahid and Sidarto Danusubroto.
Also present were former Deputy Chairmen of the DPR and MPR including Mahyudin, Melani Leimena Suharli, Agus Hermanto, Lukman Hakim Saifuddin, Amir Uskara, Ahmad Basarah, Priyo Budi Santoso, Arsul Sani and Rachmat Gobel. House of Representatives member Robert Kardinal also attended the event.