Chairperson of the Committee for Inter-Parliamentary Cooperation, Fadli Zon, during a dinner with Pacific parliamentary leaders in Jakarta, Wednesday

Jakarta, July 24, 2024 – Fadli Zon, Chairperson of the Committee for Inter-Parliamentary Cooperation of the Indonesian House of Representatives, said that while the Second Meeting of Indonesia-Pacific Parliamentary Partnership (IPPP) focuses on a specific theme, it remains open to discussions on other topics.

"The second Meeting of IPPP in Jakarta centers on the theme ‘Partnership for Prosperity: Fostering Regional Connectivity and Inclusive Development.’ The aim is to foster closer relations with parliaments of Pacific countries. Indonesia itself is part of the Pacific," Fadli stated after a dinner with Pacific parliamentary leaders in Jakarta on Wednesday.

Fadli went on to say that several Indonesian provinces, including Papua, Maluku, and East Nusa Tenggara, are directly part of Melanesia, sharing significant cultural and historical similarities.

"There will be exchanges of information, experiences along with their descriptions, and challenges faced by each country in the Pacific region, which is very close to several eastern Indonesian provinces. The goal is to establish the Indonesia Pacific Parliamentary Assembly as a permanent parliamentary platform," Fadli elaborated.

As for the potential discussion of other issues at the Second Meeting of IPPP, including the Armed Criminal Group (KKB) in Papua, Fadli expressed openness to addressing such topics. He sees it as an opportunity to explain and build understanding among other countries about the inclusive development in Papua, noting the significant physical and non-physical advancements there.

"We are open to discussions on various issues that may arise during the IPPP session tomorrow. It’s a chance to clarify that development in Papua is inclusive, with substantial progress in both physical and non-physical infrastructures. This is part of parliamentary diplomacy," explained Fadli, a politician from the Gerindra Party faction.

He further explained that parliamentary diplomacy is a vital part of the parliament's tasks, complementing the government's efforts to support fast-track diplomacy. Parliaments, representing the people's voice, tends to be more flexible.

"Most Pacific countries have parliamentary systems where parliament members also serve in the government, allowing them to directly make policies and initiate collaborations with various countries, including Indonesia," Fadli noted. (ayu/aha)