Hasto Emphasises the Importance of Party Institutionalisation at CALD Forum
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Secretary General of PDI Perjuangan (PDIP) Hasto Kristiyanto emphasised the importance of party institutionalisation while serving as the main speaker at the international Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats (CALD) forum in Makati, Philippines, on Friday.
In his presentation titled The Institutionalization of Political Parties, Resilience, and Strategic Campaigns, Hasto analysed how the institutionalisation of an organisation is the key factor enabling a political party to endure pressures.
According to Hasto, during the 2024 General Elections, PDIP faced considerable pressures. However, he continued, PDIP was still able to hold firm and emerge as the winner of the 2024 Legislative Elections, even increasing its seats by a total of 14 at the district and city levels.
“This is concrete evidence of the resilience or endurance of a party that has been institutionalised,” Hasto said in a written statement received by Antara in Jakarta on Friday.
Hasto also explained the key behind PDIP’s resilience, which stems from the strategic leadership of Megawati Soekarnoputri. This leadership is not merely a managerial style, but an ideology that has been institutionalised through seven main indicators.
These seven indicators are critical thinking, vision, direction, core values, biopolitics, alignment, and commitment.
According to Hasto, the combination of Megawati’s strategic leadership and party institutionalisation enables PDIP to possess flexible, adaptive qualities and a high survival capacity in facing various internal and external shocks.
At the forum, attended by political figures such as Florencio “Butch” Abad from the Philippines and Chee Soon Juan from Singapore, Hasto concluded his presentation by quoting Bung Karno’s message from 1965: For fighting a nation, the journey never ends (For a struggling nation, the journey never ends).
This message emphasises that party institutionalisation is an endless mission to preserve the dignity of democracy and popular sovereignty.
The event was also attended by important figures from various countries. The opening session began with remarks from CALD Chairperson and Cambodian Senator Mardi Seng, along with President of the Liberal Party of the Philippines, Lorenzo “Erin” Tañada III, and representative from the Friedrich Naumann Foundation (FNF), Almut Besold.
The forum also heard a special video message from the President of Timor Leste and Nobel Peace Prize recipient, Jose Ramos-Horta, as well as a keynote speech from Philippine Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan.
In the panel discussion, Hasto shared the stage with other regional political figures, such as former Philippine Budget Minister Florencio “Butch” Abad, and Secretary General of the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) Chee Soon Juan, in a session moderated by Rappler’s Editor-at-large, Marites Vitug.
Other delegates who attended and provided perspectives included Lee Boon Shian from Malaysia, James Gomez from Asia Centre, and V Srivarathanabul, a parliamentary candidate from Thailand’s Democrat Party.