November 12, 2009 17:48 PM

Indonesia Joins Malaysia In Proving Islam In Tandem With Democracy

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 12 (Bernama) -- Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said his country wishes to join Malaysia in proving to the world that Islam is in tandem with modern democracy.

He said the republic also wanted to be together with other Muslim countries in developing a model and proving that Islam too shared the same values as the other civilisations.

"Tun Musa Hitam (a former deputy prime minister of Malaysia) is right, Indonesia like Malaysia wishes to prove that there is no conflict between democracy and Islam. I had just spoken at Harvard University (in the United States) that it is not true that Islam and democracy are incompatible.

"Let us prove that Islamic values also contain values possessed by other civilisations," he said when delivering a speech at a luncheon in conjunction with his official visit to this country, here Thursday.

The luncheon was organised by the Council For The Promotion of Malaysia-Indonesia Relations chaired by Musa. Also present at the function was Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

Earlier, in his speech welcoming the presence of the Indonesian President, Musa said Susilo's victory in the presidential election for the second term consecutively proved that democracy could survive even in a developing Muslim country.

"Whenever the name SBY (Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono) is mentioned, it immediately brings an image that he is an Indonesian president who has created history for being elected for the second time in an open democracy.

"He proves to the international community that democracy does works in a developing society," he said.

Musa attributed Susilo's success in winning the election for the second time to his strong administration which not only succeeded in improving his country's economy but also making other significant changes.

"The President proved that he was serious in eliminating negative elements in the Indonesian administration which had adversely affected the Indonesian people. Now we are seeing success (although) slowly but surely moving forward," he said.

In his speech before more than 200 business leaders from Malaysia and Indonesia, Susilo expressed his gratitude to the Malaysian community for the encouraging response he had received.

"I come with the sincere intention of bringing a message of friendship from the people of Indonesia for the Malaysian people and let us greet our future with great optimism and good intention, and with positive thinking that Malaysia and Indonesia will be stronger and can cooperate more closely. In fact, we will become an important component in the development towards a more peaceful, just and democratic world," he said.

Susilo also said that he had great respect for Malaysia in the various fields and had learnt much from this country.

The Indonesian President arrived here yesterday with his wife, Ani Bambang Yudhoyono, on a two-day official visit.

Malaysia is the first country that he is visiting since taking his oath of office as president for the second term in October.

-- BERNAMA

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