National

'Democracy is just a tool'

Selasa, 5 November 2013 | 00:51 WIB

Jakarta, NU Online
Although democracy is still considered relevant to be applied in many countries, including Indonesia, it is just a political system having a number of weaknesses. Correction should always be done as a step toward the democractic road.<>

"Because democracy is just a tool and not the ultimate," Deputy General Chairman of NU KH As'ad Said Ali said at a meeting here recently.

Quoting the late KH Abdurrahman Wahid (Gus Dur), As'ad said that democracy was a new item and one of the ways in political life to achieve goals for the benefit of all people, adding that NU had always responded to it for finding anomalies.

On the occasion he regretted the findings of problematic eligible voters' lists (DPT), saying that these conditions could threaten the basic political rights of citizens to determine the best leader.

He said that the use of the right to vote "is the most basic form of participation in the system of representative democracy that is being developed."

"So we have to watch out for the possible loss of rights and opportunities for the citizens to use their voting rights due to inaccurate voter lists," said As'ad.

He said the KPU, Bawaslu and the Ministry of Home Affairs should involve civil society  stakeholders.

"The involvement of the various stakeholders is essential to ensure that the 2014 elections are indeed shared celebrations to produce a quality elections," he added.

Reporting by Mahbib Khoiron; Editing by Sudarto Murtaufiq