Hosting PUIC, Indonesia Encourages Islamic World Parliaments to be More Adaptive, Collaborative, and Responsive

By: Lucky Wiratmaja

Indonesia through the People’s Representative Council of the Republic of Indonesia (DPR RI) is ready to host the 19th Conference of the Parliamentary Union of the OIC Member States (PUIC), in Jakarta, on 12-15 May 2025. The event is planned to be opened directly by President Prabowo Subianto. This momentum is important for Indonesia to strengthen inter-parliamentary diplomacy of Islamic countries amidst increasingly complex global dynamics.

This forum carries the theme “PUIC Silver Jubilee-Good Governance and Strong Institutions as Pillars of Resilience”, in order to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the founding of PUIC which was first held in Tehran, Iran in 1999. It is hoped that this Conference will be a new milestone in the journey of Islamic world parliamentary diplomacy towards a more resilient, democratic, and just future.

The holding of this forum has a strategic meaning, not only as a moment of reflection on a quarter of a century of PUIC’s journey, but also as an important forum in strengthening the role of parliaments of OIC member countries in facing today’s global challenges. Issues such as climate change, economic instability, health security, and the crisis of trust in public leadership will be part of the main discourse discussed in this conference.

Indonesia is hosting for the second time, after previously successfully holding the 7th PUIC Conference in Palembang in January 2012. The Indonesian House of Representatives affirmed its commitment to strengthening parliamentary diplomacy, as mandated in the constitution through the Inter-Parliamentary Cooperation Agency (BKSAP).

Currently, PUIC has 54 parliamentary members and 25 observer organizations from various regions of the world, making it one of the most representative multilateral parliamentary organizations in the Islamic world. Through this conference, the Indonesian House of Representatives will encourage the strengthening of the strategic position of the OIC parliaments in South-South cooperation, as well as strengthening solidarity on crucial issues, including support for Palestinian independence and protection of the rights of Muslim minorities.

Secretary General (Sekjen) of the Indonesian House of Representatives, Indra Iskandar, emphasized that the Indonesian House of Representatives is almost 100 percent ready to hold the 19th PUIC Conference and is expected to be attended by 500 to 600 participants, including delegates and representatives of international organizations. All technical aspects and substance of the event have been carefully prepared, including cross-agency coordination, to ensure the smooth running of this international event.

In addition to OIC member countries, the DPR RI Secretariat General also invited leaders from friendly countries in the ASEAN region, such as the Prime Minister of Malaysia and the Prime Minister of Singapore. However, confirmation of the presence of the two figures is still awaited, considering their busy schedules on that date.

The 19th PUIC Conference will also emphasize the importance of good governance and strong institutions as the main pillars of national and regional resilience. In the context of PUIC member countries, most of whom come from the Global South, this theme is a call to strengthen institutional capacity, democratic legitimacy, and responsiveness to the needs of the people.

During the four-day event, the conference agenda will include a plenary session, standing committee meetings, a parliamentary women’s forum, and cross-issue discussions related to legislative innovation, inclusive participation, and digital governance. This forum is also a space to expand dialogue between parliaments, international organizations, and civil society, as well as to formulate a common position on regional and global issues.

The Chairperson of the Inter-Parliamentary Cooperation Agency (BKSAP) of the Indonesian House of Representatives, Mardani Ali Sera, said that in this forum there will be a discussion session discussing issues related to Palestine to formulate real steps forward for OIC countries in supporting Palestine.

A similar thing was also expressed by a member of the Indonesian House of Representatives’ BKSAP, Eva Monalisa, that the Indonesian House of Representatives will bring several agendas to the agenda. One of them is asking for support from all OIC member countries for Palestinian independence. They firmly reject all forms of ethnic cleansing of Palestine and will continue to encourage and strive for Palestinian independence through various negotiations and international forums.

Eva also considered that evacuating Palestinians was not the best way. This is because Palestine itself has consistently and firmly rejected the idea of ​​relocating Palestinian refugees to other countries, including Indonesia. The Palestinian government also does not want its ethnic group to disappear from civilization.