BANDUNG - Speaker of the People's Consultative Assembly of the Republic of Indonesia and Deputy Chairman of the Functional Group Party (Golongan Karya, Golkar), Bambang Soesatyo, together with The Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs, Mahfud MD, who were present on behalf of President Joko Widodo, opened the International Conference of the Speakers of Consultative Assembly, Shura Council, or other similar names at Gedung Merdeka Bandung, West Java. This International Conference on the establishment of the World Consultative Assembly Forum was attended by delegates from 15 parliaments of member states of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the Secretary-General of the Union of Parliaments of OIC Member States and the World Muslim League.
"The idea of establishing the World People's Consultative Assembly Forum by the People's Consultative Assembly of the Republic of Indonesia, or another agreed name, is to present the establishment of a forum that maximizes the joint thinking of similar institutions starting with the parliaments of OIC member countries. The goal is to strengthen cooperation in overcoming various crises faced by mankind, and to optimize the potential and authority of the parliaments, without excluding the long-existed Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Parliamentary Union of the OIC Member States (PUIC), or the Muslim World League," explained Bambang Soesatyo in the opening of the International Conference of Speakers of People's Consultative Assembly, Shura Council, or other similar names at Gedung Merdeka Bandung, West Java, Tuesday (25/10/22).
Also present were the Governor of West Java, Ridwan Kamil; the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Republic of Indonesia, Prof. M. Syarifuddin; the Chairman of the Judicial Commission of the Republic of Indonesia, Prof. Mukti Fajar Nur Dewata; the Deputy Speaker of the Regional Representative Council of the Republic of Indonesia, Sultan Bachtiar Najamudin; and the Deputy Chief of the Indonesian National Police, Commissioner General Gatot Eddy Pramono.
Delegates from the 15 parliaments of OIC member countries include Leaders of the People's Consultative Assembly of the Republic of Indonesia (Indonesia) Ahmad Basarah, Lestari Moerdijat, Jazilul Fawaid, Syarief Hasan, Hidayat Nur Wahid, Arsul Sani, and Fadel Muhammad; Speaker of the the Shura Council of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Dr. Abdullah Mohammed Ibrahim Al-Sheikh; President of the Advisory Council of the Kingdom of Morocco, Enaam Mayara: Chairman of the Senate of the Arab Republic of Egypt, Abdel Wahab Abdel Razeq; Chairman of the Senate of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, Muhammad Sadiq Sanjrani; Chairman of the National Council of the State of Palestine, Rahwi A.M. Fatouh; Vice President of the Senate of Malaysia, Mohamad Ali bin Haji Mohamad; Deputy Chairman of the Council of Nations of the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria, Salim Chenoufi. First Deputy Chairman of the Shura Council of the Kingdom of Bahrain. Jamal Mohamed Fakhro; Second Vice President of the Assembly of the Republic of Mozambique, Saide Fidel; Deputy Chairman of the Shura Council of the Republic of Yemen, Abdullah Mohammed Abulghaith Qibab; Member of the National Supreme Assembly of the Republic of Turkey, Orhan Atalay; Chairman of the Commission on National Security and Foreign Policy of the Islamic Consultative Assembly of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Dr. Abolfazl Amoei; Member of the Parliament of the Republic of Iraq, Haider M. Habeeb Majeed Al-Khumais; and Member of the Senate of the Kingdom of Jordan, and Hasyimiyah Dr. Mustafa Al-Barari. Secretary General of the Union of Parliaments of OIC Member States Mouhamed Khourchi and Supervisor of the World Muslim League for Asia and Australia and Director of the World Muslim League in Indonesia, Abdurrahman Muhammad Amin Al Khayyat, also attended the conference.
The 20th Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Republic of Indonesia and former Chairman of Commission III of the House of Representatives of the Republic of Indonesia in the field of Law, Human Rights, and Security explained that, until now, international organizations such as the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), the Union of Parliaments of OIC Member States (PUIC), and the World Muslim League, have played significant role in filling the dynamics of muslim life amidst the global society. However, with the rapid flow of globalization and the progress of human civilization, supported by advances in science and technology, the current problems become increasingly complex.
"Therefore, the People's Consultative Assembly of the Republic of Indonesia takes the initiative to present the idea of the establishment of the World Consultative Assembly Forum, or other similar names, that have not been accommodated in the OIC, PUIC, and IPU environments. The availability of diverse alternative channels of international organizations will benefits countries in responding and contributing to overcoming common problems by maximizing their potentials without negating or becoming a duplication of existing institutions," added Mr. Soesatyo.
This Deputy Chairman of Pancasila Youth Organization and the Head of the Law Enforcement, Defense, and Security Relations Agency of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry also explained that there are five important reasons for the establishment of the World Consultative Assembly Forum. Firstly, the People's Consultative Assembly, Shura Council, or other similar names have great potentials, but have not been specifically accommodated in the PUIC or IPU. While in Arab and African countries, there is already a similar forum, namely the ASSECAA (Association of Senates, Shoora and Equivalent Councils in Africa and the Arab World).
Secondly, humanitarian issues and issues in a single country have the potential to affect other countries, both directly and indirectly. Moreover, the bonds of solidarity between the OIC countries and the PUIC are so strong. Thus, various channels other than existing institutions are needed to accommodate the aspirations according to the characteristics of issues, problems, and authorities, by maximizing the potentials of parliamentary diplomacy.
"Thirdly, cooperation between institutions in international forums or institutions must result in institutional strengthening for the internal institution itself. After all, cooperation in international organizations where the membership involves state institutions will ultimately strengthen those institutions. Thus, the establishment of the World Consultative Assembly Forum also present the opportunity to become a partner that strengthens the function and role of PUIC," explained Bambang Soesatyo.
Mr. Soesatyo, who is also the Deputy Chairman of FKKPI and Deputy Chairman of SOKSI, also added that the fourth reason is that cooperation between institutions in international forums or institutions is expected to produce strategic recommendations that can be followed up by the institution according to its duties and functions. The scope of international organizations involving state institutions is usually limited to the position and function of those institutions in their respective countries.
Fifth, the cooperation between institutions in international organizations is expected to strengthen the contribution of international institutions that have long existed in solving global problems, among them are efforts to create peace, civilization, and security for the survival of human beings, and for the creation of a civilized society by maximizing the role of the perlemen.
"Therefore, the People's Consultative Assembly of the Republic of Indonesia, after reviewing, consulting and getting support from many parties, proposes an initiative to form a World Consultative Assembly Forum, or another agreed name, through the international conference we are having today. And, the People's Consultative Assembly of the Republic of Indonesia, if agreed upon by this international conference, is ready to host the secretariat of the World Consultative Assembly Forum," concluded Mr. Soesatyo. (*)