Open debate

From Republika

On Monday evening, Nov. 25, I watched ANteve's open debate broadcast. I was very happy with the program. Previously, we frequently read news about the curtailment of democracy in our country, and the foreign press blamed our government for being undemocratic.

On that evening, ANteve broadcast an Open Debate Forum, with Fahmi Idris as moderator. Three important figures from parties that will take part in the coming general election were presented in the debate. The participants of the debate looked confident and some expressed no uncertainty in analyzing the current issues and launching criticism against the party that was deemed to be violating the rules of the game. Such a forum should be held more often because democratic life can only find expression in giving freedom of expression and power to the people's representatives. Thus, ANteve has done the right thing by opening the debate forum as one of its programs.

For the next occasion, I would like to suggest that ANteve has Megawati, Soerjadi, the Armed Forces chief, the National Police chief, members of the National Commission on Human Rights and also Legal Aid Institute figures in the open debate forum, with Ekky Syahruddin or Wimar Witoelar as moderator.

SUPARDIN

Bandung, West Java