19 January 2024
PRESS RELEASE : Institute of Strategic Analysis and Policy Research (INSAP)
DPP Banteng Muda Indonesia Visits MCA HQ: “Living the Rukun Negara Like the Pancasila”
Today, the Institute of Strategic Analysis and Policy Research (INSAP) kicks off 2024 with its first international engagement for the year by inviting the youth wing of Parti Demokrasi Indonesia Perjuangan (PDIP) headed by legislative candidate of house representatives in the Republic of Indonesia, Ibu Regina Vianney Ayudya. She was accompanied by the Foreign Affairs Bureau of the DPP Banteng Muda Indonesia (BMI).
The meeting was chaired by the Secretary General of MCA Datuk Chong Sin Woon and the Deputy Secretary General Datuk Dr Pamela Yong, as well as leaders from MCA Youth headed by Deputy Youth chief Mike Chong Yew Chuan.
The main objective of the dialogue session, organised by INSAP was to understand the voter dynamics of Indonesia, given that Indonesia will be among the first few countries out of 64 countries in the world going to the polls in 2024. This is follows closely at the heels of the recent Taiwan election that just passed last weekend.
2024 is touted to be an unprecedented year with over 40%of the world’s population going to the polls by the end of the year, including the United States of America. Over 205 million Indonesians will be going to the polls on 14th February, half of which consists of youths between the ages of 17-40.
During the dialogue, it is said that among the top issues among the youths of Indonesia in this election would be accessibility to quality education, job opportunities, nutrition for the young, affordable housing, mental health and climate change.
“Quality education and political literacy are our focus this time, as youths are very much attracted to campaign messages filled with gimmicks, fake news, sensationalism and misinformation”, says Ibu Regina. In an attempt to counter the confusion caused by cross party dynamics that have taken place lately, she and her team have decided to reach out to grassroots Indonesians residing in Malaysia as foreign workers. They will be traveling to Malaysia on a weekly basis to campaign among Indonesian citizens living here.
“It breaks my heart when I go to the ground and listen to the plight of my people. They relate their struggles to me and it saddens me when I see a lot of their basic aspirations in life are not met. However, I am encouraged to see the hope in their eyes of the future of Indonesia.”
As to how Pancasila guides Indonesians during campaigns, the BMI representatives explained that, “it is about fair play and fair competition among candidates. Pancasila is taught since pre-school. It is already ingrained in our hearts and minds. Pancasila is our anchor.”
“We know our boundaries of what we can and cannot do. The fourth principle of Pancasila is ‘kerakyatan’ (nationhood) meaning that we are compelled to give back to our nation. Pancasila is also about justice and harmony.”
In response to Ibu Regina’s campaign efforts, Datuk Chong Sin Woon said that “it is a commendable effort to travel so far and wide to another country to ensure that every vote matters. This is the true spirit of democracy.”
Dr Pamela Yong agrees that the “cost of humanity is priceless and all politicians should aspire to place humanity first before power. I hope our countries can work on common grounds of humanity just as the guiding principles of Indonesia is the Pancasila, so should all Malaysians hang on firm to the principles of our Rukun Negara.”
Indonesians are set to go to the polls on 14 February 2024.
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