CALD Annual Report 2015

CALD 2015 | 1

above beyond &

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MESSAGES

Oyun Sanjaasuren, CALD Chairperson Mu Sochua, CALD Women’s Caucus Chairperson Bulgan Bayasgalant, CALD Youth Chairperson

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PROJECTS

CALD Youth Climate Change Summit: Translating Ideas into Action – Youth Leadership for Climate Change 4-8 February | Manila-Bataan, Philippines 5th CALD Party Management Workshop 2015: Winning Elections Towards Continuing Party Reforms 11-13 March | Yangon, Myanmar (Burma) 8th CALD Communications Workshop: Political Communication, Elections, and Governance 13-16 March | Metro Manila, Philippines CALD Conference 2015 and Executive Committee Meeting: Regional Integration in Asia – What Can We Expect from the ASEAN Community?

24-27 April | Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia CALD Climate Change Summit: Preparing for COP21 - Asian Perspectives on Climate Change 12-16 June | Sihanoukville-Phnom Penh, Cambodia CALD Conference on SDGs/ CALD Women’s Caucus Seminar/ CALD Executive Committee Meeting 6-10 November | Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

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IN FOCUS

Regional to Global

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SPEECHES

Dare to Change by Aung San Suu Kyi Turning Tears Into Smiles by Tsai Ing-Wen Nurturing Innovation for a Strong ASEAN Community

by Mah Siew Keong Liberalism in the 21st Century by Franklin M. Drilon Equality Is an Endless Process by Anneli Jäätteenmaki

39 RESOLUTIONS 40

S TAT E M E N T S & L E T T E R S

42 BULLETIN 51

SPEAKERS & SESSION CHAIRS

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M E M B E R S & PA R T N E R S

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ABOUT CALD

From the CALD Chairperson

Oyun Sanjaasuren

CALD AMIDST GLOBAL AND REGIONAL ISSUES AND CHALLENGES “BECAUSE IT’S 2015.”

This was the answer of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, a fellow liberal, when asked about the importance of gender parity in his cabinet.

The same reason can be repeated to those wondering why other global and regional developments last year came about – from the adoption of tougher climate-change policy to the landslide victory of the political opposition in Myanmar (also known as Burma).These should no longer come as a surprise, “because it’s 2015”.

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The year 2015 was a monumental one for the world and for Asia.

The year witnessed the adoption of global pacts on climate change and sustainable development goals (SDGs). 2015 also marked the 20th anniversary of the Beijing Platform of Action (BPA) and the 10th anniversary of the Responsibility to Protect (R2P) — landmark agreements that preserve and promote human rights. Regionally, the year saw the coming into force of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Community, which aims to bring regional cooperation to a higher plane. Towards the end of 2015, the region was also placed under a global spotlight when the National League for Democracy (NLD) of Myanmar won a landslide victory in the country’s general elections.

The Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats, as the foremost platform for dialogue amongst liberals and democrats in Asia, took these developments into account in its events last year. In the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP21) in Paris, France (December 2015), CALD

worked with Liberal International (LI) and the International Federation of the Liberal Youth (IFLRY) to organize a side-event for liberals attending the global summit. To prepare for this worldwide gathering, CALD, through the initiative of its youth wing, CALD Youth, organized two workshops in Manila/Bataan, Philippines (February 2015) and Phnom Penh/ Sihanoukville, Cambodia (June 2015) that aimed to achieve the two-pronged objectives of: (1) enlisting the support of the youth at national, regional, and global levels for climate-change initiatives; and (2) clarifying the liberal position on climate change for the COP21 summit. The Philippine event was attended by more than a thousand youth leaders who learned about climate change through lectures, workshops, games, and music; the gathering in Cambodia was able to produce a statement that CALD presented to COP21 through IFLRY. CALD Youth and IFLRY’s partnership for COP21 was solidified when a representative from CALD Youth attended IFLRY’s 38th General Assembly and Conference: “Climate Change – the

MESSAGE

Challenge of the 21st Century” in Vienna, Austria (April 2015).

Less than a month before COP21, CALD convened in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia to tackle SDGs and BPA’s relationship with women leadership (November 2015). The SDG Conference was attended

by European Parliament Vice President and former Finnish Prime Minister Anneli Jäätteenmäki and United Nations Environmental Programme’s (UNEP) Stefanos Fotiou. Mongolia’s incumbent Minister of Environment and Green Development Namdag Battsereg, MP, also delivered the conference’s keynote address. The parallel event on the BPA was an initiative of the CALD Women’s Caucus, which believed that BPA’s 20th anniversary provided a perfect opportunity to assess progress in the attainment of gender equality and women empowerment.

At the regional level, CALD recognized early on that a number of its members would be contesting elections in 2015 and in 2016. For this reason, back-to-back workshops on party management and political communication were held in Yangon, Myanmar and Manila, Philippines respectively (March 2015). The Yangon workshop was the second part of the training programme for NLD, a CALD observer party that subsequently contested and won the November 2015 parliamentary elections.

The Manila event, meanwhile, was meant to assist concerned CALD members in their upcoming elections by discussing the basic principles and best practices in political communication. Jonathan Moakes of Democratic Alliance, South Africa’s largest opposition party, facilitated the event.

Apart from elections, the ASEAN Community and its implications for regional integration was also tackled by CALD in a parallel ASEAN conference in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (April 2015). At the conclusion of the conference, CALD adopted a statement summarizing its stance on the regional project. The statement, composed of three sections corresponding to ASEAN’s political-security, economic, and socio-cultural pillars, was a product of intense discussions and deliberations amongst representatives of CALD member-parties, partners and conference resource persons.

The host party, Parti Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia (PGRM), received the statement on behalf of the 2015 ASEAN Chair, Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak. The conference’s keynote speaker, PGRM President Mah Siew Keong, MP, who also serves as Minister in the Malaysian Prime Minister’s Department, ensured that the statement reach the 2015 ASEAN Chair.

CALD was represented as well in the LI Human Rights Committee’s (HRC) seminar in Brussels, Belgium on the future of the R2P, 10 years after the adoption of the principle (December 2015).

Coinciding with the International Human Rights Day and CALD’s 22nd founding anniversary, the event brought together liberal parliamentarians, diplomats, civil society representatives, and human-rights practitioners to discuss the growing challenges and misconceptions attached to the R2P’s implementation.

From Paris to Brussels, from Manila to Ulaanbaatar, from regional to global issues — CALD last year became a much stronger force for liberalism and democracy in Asia and the world. Because it was 2015.

While addressing global and regional issues in its events, CALD also took a more reflective mode when it co-hosted with LI a side-event during the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Assembly in Hanoi, Vietnam (March 2015). With the theme “Liberalism in the 21st Century“, the dinner reception was attended by a number of liberal parliamentarians from all over the world who shared their thoughts on the challenges and prospects of liberalism. Towards the end of the year, this discussion was continued in the 60th LI Congress in Mexico City, Mexico (October 2015), which CALD representatives also attended.

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From the CALD Women’s Caucus Chairperson

Mu Sochua

WOMEN AND THE ECONOMY

“EMPOWERING women empowers humanity.” This has been proven, time and again, by experiences of countries everywhere, from India to Lesotho.

Twenty years ago, the Beijing Platform of Action, described as “the most progressive blueprint ever for advancing women’s rights”, sought to further embody this reality in a global gathering for gender equality and women empowerment. Twenty years hence, much more needs to be done to truly empower women.

It was for this reason that the CALD Women’s Caucus chose this theme for its 2015 workshop in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. Attended by women leaders from Asia and Europe, the event called for renewed commitment to women empowerment, particularly in the fields of politics and the economy.

Women participation in the economy results in faster economic growth.

This should be taken into account as states increasingly focus on trade as a strategy to eradicate poverty and inequality and promote economic development. It is a fact that trade is a tool to boost economies and provide jobs particularly in Third World countries. The questions, however, are: Does economic growth reflect political and social development?

Can genuine economic development be achieved without women’s participation?

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In 2015, new trade deals were tabled during the ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The aim of these deals was to promote and facilitate trade and the flow of labour and goods within the ASEAN region.

Moreover, the European Union came out with its new forward-looking trade and investment strategy — turning its focus to Asia. In a parallel ASEAN conference that CALD organized, I reiterated that any discussion about the ASEAN Community and its trade relations with other regions must be built based on the values of freedom, democracy, human rights, gender equality, human dignity, and human security.

As a human-rights and women-empowerment advocate, this issue is very close to my heart. In my country, Cambodia, millions of our people are employed in what economists termed as “low-skilled” manufacturing jobs.

Labour-law violations and other human-rights abuses are widely connected to these manufacturing industries. Without adequate social protections, these workers are tempted and forced to migrate to other countries where social protections are not guaranteed or largely absent. It is no secret that most of these workers are women.

The fundamental responsibility for ensuring labour rights for all workers, whether they are citizens or migrant workers, rests primarily on the shoulder of governments.

The exchange of goods and services should not revolve on profit alone. As what European Commissioner Cecilia Maelstrom has said, “Trade is not an island.” It must involve other equally significant aspects of a nation. This cannot be done if we ourselves, as part of the ASEAN and of the global community, will continue to neglect the importance of our common humanity.

As CALD Women’s Caucus, I believe it is our responsibility to always push for liberal ideas and strategies to help our governments demonstrate their duty to their people and make sure freedom and democracy consistently prevail. Let us use the opportunity to make the leaders and decisions makers among us give more attention to and act upon the real equalizer: human rights and gender equality.

Only by doing so can we truly empower humanity.

MESSAGE

From the CALD Youth Chairperson

Bulgan Bayasgalant

CULTIVATING AN ACTIVE YOUTH COMMUNITY 2015 was a fruitful year for CALD Youth.

Throughout the year, we at CALD Youth carried out our core commitment by promoting liberal values to the youth of the region through different activities, supports, and engagements.

First and utmost, in April 2015, a new leadership team was elected to lead CALD Youth for the upcoming two years during the CALD Executive Meeting in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The new team has since been trying to bring fresh perspectives and commitment to CALD Youth while continuing the legacy of the good initiatives from the past.

For the past few years, we have been focusing on raising awareness about climate-change issues within the region’s young community.

Hence, our highlight event of the year was the CALD Climate Change Seminar and Conference that took place in Cambodia on 13-15 June 2015.

The outcome of these important events was to produce a statement that was to be delivered to the COP21 in Paris in November 2015 regarding the region’s environmental challenges and proposed solutions. We were thrilled with the opportunity of having the region’s youth position regarding climate-change issues included within the statement.

During the Climate Change conference in Cambodia, we also organized a youth conference that attracted more than 100 youths. Held in cooperation with the Cambodia National Rescue Party, the conference had its young delegates exchange views and perspectives with the audience.

We hope to continue this legacy of connecting our youth delegates from our member countries to host country youth through such inspiring, large-scale meetings.

Meanwhile, our cooperation with the International Federation of Liberal Youth (IFLRY) is stronger than ever. In 2015, CALD Youth and IFLRY attended several international conferences together and cooperated with each other on advocating youth-related causes.

We are planning another joint youth festival with IFLRY, hopefully in 2016, where our members could exchange best practices and share past experiences.

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CALD 2015

CALD Youth Climate Change Summit: Translating Ideas into Action – Youth Leadership for Climate Change 4 – 8 February 2015 Manila-Bataan, Philippines

5th CALD Party Management Workshop: Winning Elections Towards Continuing Reforms 11 – 13 of March 2015 Yangon, Myanmar (Burma)

8th CALD Communication Workshop: Political Communication, Elections, and Governance 13 – 16 March 2015 Metro Manila, Philippines

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Organized by CALD in cooperation with Rock Ed Philippines, the Office of the Philippine Presidential Adviser for Environmental Protection (OPAEP), and the Laguna Lake Development Authority (LLDA), and with FNF support, the summit convened liberal youths from across Asia to discuss in a series of activities how the youth can play an active and vibrant role in environmental protection, sustainable development, and climate-change response.

Actually Phase II of the 5th CALD Political Party Management Workshop that began in 2014, the event was hosted by the National League for Democracy and participated in by some 60 NLD party members and campaign officials, as well as by representatives from the United Nationalities Alliance (UNA). The workshop aimed to capacitate NLD candidates and their campaign managers with the knowledge and skills to win elections, drawing from electoral theory and practice in the Asian context.

With a number of CALD member-parties contesting elections in 2015 and 2016, the workshop attracted around 30 participants from Cambodia, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Kyrgyzstan, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar (Burma), the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand. The participants shared their experiences and best practices in political communication, with such activities aimed at eventually helping produce viable and effective communication plans suited to their respective circumstances.

PROJECTS CALD Conference 2015 and Executive Committee Meeting: Regional Integration in Asia – What Can We Expect from the ASEAN Community?

24 – 27 April Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

CALD Climate Change Summit: Preparing for COP21- Asian Perspectives on Climate Change 12 – 16 June 2015 Sihanoukville-Phnom Penh, Cambodia

CALD Conference on SDGs/ CALD Women’s Caucus Seminar/CALD Executive Meeting 6 – 10 November 2015 Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

An event that adopted a statement summarizing CALD’s stance on ASEAN Community’s political-security, economic, and socio-cultural pillars. With the theme “Regional Integration in Asia: What Can We Expect from the ASEAN Community,” CALD representatives of CALD member-parties, partners and conference resource persons went through intense discussions and deliberations about the future of ASEAN and eventually came up with a statement on ASEAN Community that was submitted to the host party, the Parti Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia (PGRM), on behalf of the 2015 ASEAN Chair, Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak.

Attended by CALD member-party representatives from Cambodia, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Philippines and Thailand, as well as by a Norwegian resource person from International Federation of the Liberal Youth (IFLRY), the event’s theme focused on the upcoming United Nations (UN) Climate Change Conference in Paris, France towards the end of 2015, and how CALD could make a positive contribution to this global environmental gathering.

A conference—organized by CALD in cooperation with the Civil Will Green Party (CWGP) of Mongolia and with the support of the FNF— focused on the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted by countries worldwide in September and with specific targets set to be achieved by 2030. A CALD Women’s Caucus Seminar, a CALD Executive Committee Meeting, and special sessions on women and religion, death penalty, and elections in Asia took place as well.

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PROJECTS

4-8 February | Manila-Bataan, Philippines

CALD YOUTH CLIMATE CHANGE SUMMIT

TRANSLATING IDEAS INTO ACTION – YOUTH LEADERSHIP FOR CLIMATE CHANGE

IN a year that would turn out as the hottest year on record yet and had all kinds of extreme weather wreaking havoc across the globe, climate change remained top of mind with CALD.

Youth participants presenting their creative output during one of the workshop activities on translating climate change ideas into action.

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And so among its initial activities for 2015 was a youth summit addressing the issue, organizing it in cooperation with Rock Ed Philippines, the Office of the Philippine Presidential Adviser for Environmental Protection (OPAEP), and the Laguna Lake Development Authority (LLDA), with support from the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom.

At one point gathering more than a thousand youths, the summit aimed not only to raise awareness about climate change among the young, but also to help spark ideas from them and inspire them to spring into action. As CALD Climate Change Committee Chair JR Nereus ‘Neric’ Acosta would later remark, “The youth and their generational language of music, art, and social

RIGHT Speakers in the panel discussion on environmental protection and social media were presented with tokens of appreciation

by Jules Maaten (L), FNF Philippine Office Country Director, and Neric Acosta (R), Presidential Adviser for Environmental Protection.

LEFT. The CALD Youth delegates visit the Building Ecologically Responsive Design Excellence (BERDE) certified two-star Green Building. The LLDA Headquarters is the Philippine Government’s first ever climate-smart, energy-efficient, and water-conserving structure

Ebe Dancel rocks Balanga, Bataan!

media serve as powerful tools of communication and engagement in helping everyone understand the challenges we face in this day and age of climate change. This is the megaphone that makes climate change understood as a clear and present danger.”

To match the dynamism of the youthful participants, the four days making up the summit was jampacked with a variety of activities, including seminars, workshops, field trips, and even a musicfest.

The youth leaders from Myanmar (also known as Burma), Cambodia, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mongolia, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, and Thailand were also able to interact with university students in Bataan province, about a couple of hours away by car from Manila.

The summit started on 4 Feb with the arrival of theinternational delegation in Manila. First on their agenda was a tour of the LLDA headquarters, which is the Philippines’ first green government building.

The delegates would later be feted with a welcome reception hosted by Acosta, also LLDA General Manager as well as the Philippine Presidential Adviser for Environmental Protection. A panel discussion on environmental protection and social media, however, preceded dinner, with Zak Yuson, founder of MovePH (the citizen journalism arm of the online media group Rappler) as facilitator. Among the panelists were Dingdong Dantes, actor and Commissioner at Large of the National Youth Commission of the Philippines; Lesley Cordero, Undersecretary of the Office of the

Philippine Presidential Assistant for Rehabilitation and Recovery; Gang Badoy, Writer at Large for Political Affairs for Esquire and founder of RockEd Philippines; and Au Nok-hin, Executive Member of the Democratic Party of Hong Kong and member of the Southern District Council of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

Speakers and youth leaders agreed that the youth need to play a more active role in responding to climate issues, with social media as their main tool to raise awareness. Badoy underscored the usefulness of social media to disseminate information and spark awareness, and even described Twitter as “the longest tentacle any climate advocate has”.

But she also noted, “The language of climate change is complex so

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Cambodia National Rescue Party Long Kimkhorn Civil Will Green Party Sarangoo Dambajav Tsogzolmaa Jamsrandorj De La Salle College of St. Benilde Stephanie Casas Patricia Perez

Democratic Party of Hong Kong Nok-hin Au

Liberal Party of the Philippines-Kabataang Liberal Angelo Feliciano Democrat Party of Thailand Burt Noel Peralta Pakapol Keeratiparadorn Glenmar Sabado Krittinai Ritthichai Liberal Party of the Friedrich Naumann Philippines-Filipino Liberal Foundation, Indonesia Youth Shaveria Indriyati Quincy Anne De Chavez Ma. Frelie Joy Pagsibigan Indonesian Democratic Kimberly Anne Teodoro Party of Struggle Arnita Nita

the challenge is to translate.” She suggested that the information be broken down in “bite-size and digestible” pieces.

The next day had the delegates motoring to Bataan, where they underwent a one-and-a-half-day workshop, facilitated by Badoy, to help them become effective climatechange communicators and empowered advocates. This was followed by a public university conference where the delegates were joined by hundreds of students representing eight universities from Bataan. In his keynote address at the event, Balanga City, Bataan Mayor Jose Enrique ‘Joet’ Garcia III highlighted key local government initiatives for environmental protection, sustainable development, climate changes, and youth education, among others.

Acosta meanwhile briefed the conference participants on the basics of climate change. CALD Programme and Administrative Officer Paul Rafael, who is a member of the International Federation of

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Liberal Party of Sri Lanka Udara Soysa National Awakening Party Hesbul Bahar National League for Democracy Win Nay Htet Aung Zabu

Liberal Youth’s Climate Change Programme, then issued a challenge to the youthful audience, saying, “Climate change may have different faces, as its adverse impacts vary from one part of the region to the other. But climate change excludes no one; everyone is at risk. I urge you, young people, to participate.

No one is ever too young to make a difference.”

Afterwards a friendly competition was held among the young participants over who could come up with a creative way to raise climate-change awareness. In the end, Bataan Peninsula State University – Balanga Campus gained the nods of the judges as having the most impressive and creative presentation.

The contest infused the summit with fun, but more unwinding came in the form of a music festival at the Plaza Mayor de Balanga, which attracted more than a thousand people.

Rocking the stage in a bid to raise

Office of the Presidential Advisor on Environmental Protection Louis Banzon Mark Castañer Krissa Damay Carlos Del Rosario Yumiko Macayan Wayne Salud Leah Salvador Kester Yu

Parti Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia Siong Ching Choon Muruga Rajan Lingappan

PARTICIPANTS

climate-change awareness were local bands, including Philippine music icons Johnoy Danao and Ebe Dancel.

The last day (7 February) of the summit proper took the youth leaders on an eco-heritage tour in Bataan, including stops avt the City Wetland and Nature Park and Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar, an open-air museum and heritage park. By evening, the delegation had made its way back to Manila – tired, but surely charged and inspired to act and help mitigate climate change.

The international delegates and local students gather during the public university conference hosted by Balanga City, Bataan Mayor Jose Enrique ‘Joet’ Garcia III.

PROJECTS

5 CALD PARTY MANAGEMENT WORKSHOP 2015 th

WINNING ELECTIONS TOWARDS CONTINUING PARTY REFORMS

11-13 March | Yangon, Myanmar (Burma) WITH JUST about everyone calling the 8 November 2015 polls in Myanmar – also known as Burma – as “historic”, CALD was more than eager to help the opposition National League for Democracy make a strong showing at the polls, if not secure victory altogether.

NLD participants, facilitators, and organizers pose for a group shot after a productive workshop.

Indeed, helping NLD – a CALD observer party — prepare for the 2015 polls began more than a year earlier. In August 2014, Phase I of the 5th CALD Party Management Workshop had several prospective NLD candidates and campaign officials work towards forming a national campaign team for the party’s participation in Myanmar’s first general elections since a nominally civilian government came to power there in 2011.

Before that, Myanmar had endured nearly half a century of military rule. And now the country was about to embark on what many hoped would lead it towards full democracy.

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NLD candidates and campaign managers listen to a presentation on strategic campaign planning.

By early March or some eight months prior to the polls, CALD was back in Myanmar’s financial capital to conduct Phase II of the workshop. This time around, the goal was to help the NLD candidates and campaign managers formulate doable and effective campaign plans. Workshop activities were thus organized to have the participants analyze and correlate election data from surveys, focus-group discussions, and the like; come up with a concrete election plan for each of the campaign components; identify interferences and hurdles and come up with solutions to these; agree on a monitoring-and-consultations scheme; and ensure a machinery for the collaboration of campaign plans.

Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats Francis Rafael Banico Francis Miguel Panday

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Friedrich Naumann Foundation Myanmar Aung Thu Hein Ashley Pritchard

Hosted by NLD itself at the party’s Meeting Hall, the three-day workshop that began on 11 March again had Concepcion ‘Chit’ Asis, former Director General of the Liberal Party of the Philippines as facilitator, with the support of Lambert Ramirez, former Executive Director of the National Institute for Policy Studies (NIPS) Philippines.

The workshop tasks turned out to be intense, but there was still much room for fun and camaraderie. No one, however, forgot what was at stake. As NLD Patron U Tin Oo said in his welcome remarks, “We do not seek violence to solve the problem….Allow us to campaign for our freedom and see the flicker of light for democracy.”

Said Asis: “As peoples of Asia, we have a shared history and a shared political struggle. We feel it is our responsibility as Asians to be part of your struggle for freedom and democracy.”

“Our people are very eager to take part in the democratization of our land, so let them be part of the process,” he also said. “They deserve nothing less.”

“What we hope is that you become multipliers,” she added. “What you learn here, you should share with your communities.”

Liberal Party of the Philippines Katrina Centeno Conception Asis Lambert Ramirez

National League for Democracy Tin Oo

PARTICIPANTS

PROJECTS

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POLITICAL COMMUNICATION, ELECTIONS, AND GOVERNANCE

13-16 March | Metro Manila, Philippines COMMUNICATION is key to achieving success in just about every endeavour – including political ones. This is why communications workshops have been CALD staples for years, and in 2015 it was no different.

For its 8th communications workshop, CALD decided to focus on political communication, which political scientist Pippa Norris had defined as “an interactive process concerning the transmission of information among politicians, the news media, and the public”.

While there are several elements making up this process, the workshop paid special attention to political party communication with the general public, particularly during elections and while in government. After all, some CALD member – and observer-parties would be contesting elections in 2015 (Singapore Democratic

(L-R) Jan Mikael ‘Kael’ DL Co, Assistant Secretary for Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning (PCDSP), Jonathan Moakes, Special Advisor and former Chief Executive Officer of the Democratic Alliance, Gan-Ochir Zunduisuren, Foreign Relations Head of Mongolia’s CWGP, and Samuel ‘Sammy’ Santos, Head of Office of the Senate’s Print Media Service Public Relations and Information Bureau (PRIB).

Party and Myanmar’s National League for Democracy) and 2016 (Liberal Party of the Philippines, Democratic Progressive Party of Taiwan, and Civil Will Green Party of Mongolia), and the knowledge and skills the participants would gain at the workshop could be more than handy. At the same time, the workshop could give CALD member-parties that were then in government or had been in power some ideas on how to counter populist or ultranationalist rhetoric.

The event, which took place in Metro Manila, attracted some 30 participants from Cambodia, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Kyrgyzstan,

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ABOVE. Participants from Hong Kong and Singapore.

BELOW. Co explaining the elements of a political communication action plan by citing examples of the work done by the Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning (PCDSP), which is mandated to provide strategic communication leadership and support to the Executive Branch, all agencies and instrumentalities of the Philippine government.

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Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand. On 13 March, a day before the start of the workshop proper, FNF Philippine Office organized a seminar called “New Strategies in Party Management, Communication, and Fundraising” where the participants were joined by more than 60 other liberals, most of whom were from the Liberal Party of the Philippines. A presentation by Jonathan Moakes, Special Advisor and former Chief Executive Officer of the Democratic Alliance (South Africa’s largest opposition party) was the seminar’s highlight. Among the pieces of advice Moakes gave his audience was for them to be “grounded in reality” and to “take into account last election’s results and current market research”. Dinner hosted by FNF Philippines then followed.

The workshop began the next day, 14 March, at Blue Leaf Filipinas in Paranaque City, Metro Manila. Eric Olivarez, Representative of the 1st District of the Paranaque, officially welcomed the participants to the Philippines and extended greetings

on behalf of LP. Gan-Ochir Zunduisuren, Foreign Relations Head of Mongolia’s CWGP, represented the CALD chair-party. Also on hand was Jules Maaten, Country Director of FNF Philippine Office, who posed this question to the participants: “When are you a good politician? Are you one because you win elections or because you are good in governance?”

LP Acting President and Philippine Transportation and Communication Secretary (Minister) Joseph Emilio ‘Jun’ Abaya delivered the keynote address, recounting how the Aquino administration’s main messages – “kung walang corrupt, walang mahirap (no corruption, no poverty)” and “daang matuwid (straight path)” – had resonated powerfully with Filipinos. But Abaya said that although the government, together with the LP, had made significant strides in translating these messages into reality, obstacles to political reform remained. He pointed out, “The challenge for us now in the Liberal Party insofar as political communication is concerned is

Santos presented political communication from the media perspective.

Moakes, a member of South Africa’s largest opposition party, facilitated the workshop

developing what traditionally is a personality-based political culture to one that is principle-based.”

executive and legislative branches of the Philippine government —Jan Mikael ‘Kael’ DL Co, Assistant Secretary for Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning (PCDSP), Office of the President; and Samuel ‘Sammy’ Santos, Head of Office of the Senate’s Print Media Service Public Relations and Information Bureau (PRIB) — gave short talks on the elements of a political communication action plan and cited effective examples.

After a brief break, the main activities making up the workshop commenced, with Moakes as facilitator. The participants presented their respective party and electoral contexts, and then later discussed in a world cafe the issues and problems each of them had regarding political communication. Acting as resource persons were Victor Andres ‘Dindo’ Manhit, CEO and Managing Director of Stratbase Advisory and Research Consultancy Group, Philippines; and former CALD Secretary General Neric Acosta, currently the Presidential Adviser for Environmental Protection, Office of the President of the Philippines.

The next and final day of the workshop was all about crafting political communication action plans that the participants would be presenting to their respective parties. To help them along, two resource persons from the

Transportation and Communication Secretary (Minister) Jun Abaya delivering the keynote address.

Dinner hosted by LP at the Prego Ristorante and Bar at the posh City of Dreams complex in Manila capped the workshop. In his closing remarks, facilitator Moakes said, “The winning of votes (and electoral growtwh) is founded on a defined value proposition (brand), good strategy, comprehensive market research, and the delivery of the right message in volume, over time, to the electorate. The only way to do this is to put in place an effective, professional political organization that focuses on vote-winning as its core mandate.”

Cambodia National Rescue Party Sam Meas Ol Ly Ry

Democrat Party, Thailand Kasit Piromya Jurit Laksanawisit Dhnadirek Rachada

Civil Will Green Party Gan-Ochir Zunduisuren Munkhnasan Geleg Tsendsuren Khampaan

Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle Helmi Hidayat Hendra Hasanuddin

Democratic Party of Hong Kong Teddy Hui Chi-Fung

Eric Olivarez, Representative of the 1st District of the Paranaque, officially welcomed the participants.

Liberal Party of the Philippines April Carlen Stephen Roy Cruz Jessa Gonzales Teddy Lopez Zyril Mercines Jayjay Betsy Rose Mark Kevin Tenorio

National League for Democracy Soe Win Oo Khin Saung

National Awakening Party Hesbul Bahar

Reforma Party, Kyrgyzstan Mirsuljan Namazaliev Ermek Niyazov

Singapore Democratic Party Tai Yew Mun John Tan

Parti Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia Puvanniten Helan Govan Leng Tey Kiong

PARTICIPANTS

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PROJECTS

24-27 April | Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

CALD CONFERENCE 2015 & EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING REGIONAL INTEGRATION IN ASIA – WHAT CAN WE EXPECT FROM THE ASEAN COMMUNITY? WITH THE Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) about to turn half a century old soon, questions have been raised over whether or not the regional grouping has been keeping up with the changing times.

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Policy analysts and political policy-makers alike have noted that while ASEAN has been heralded as one of the more successful groupings of its kind in the past, the complexity of present and future challenges offers no guarantees that it would continue to enjoy such a reputation.

This has not been lost to ASEAN itself. In fact, among the measures it had undertaken to address regional and global challenges was to set up the ASEAN Community by the end of 2015. To ASEAN – which groups together Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam – the

Community signifies its “determination to create a stronger, more united, and cohesive ASEAN that can better manage the challenges posed by the evolving regional architecture and economic climate”. The question is, are all of ASEAN member-states ready for such a Community?

Moreover, what could each of them expect from and contribute to this development?

These and other related queries were put on the table at the CALD Conference in 2015 that was held in Kuala Lumpur in late April. In truth, the CALD event had been scheduled to coincide with the 26th ASEAN Summit that was being hosted by

ABOVE. Ambassador Rosario Manalo (R), Philippine Special Representative to the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights, shares the challenges that the Philippines is facing vis-a-vis ASEAN Community.

PREVIOUS PAGE. The official conference group photo.

BELOW. During the Opening Session with (L-R) Dr. Lim Thuang Seng, former State Assemblyman of Selangor and Central Committee Member of PGRM, Ng Yeen Seen, Chief Operating Officer at the Asian Strategy & Leadership Institute (ASLI), Demberel Sambuu, MP, Secretary General of CALD and Co-Chair of the CWGP of Mongolia, and Jules Maaten, FNF Philippine Office Country Director.

ASEAN Chair Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur and Langkawi.

given the self-assertion of China and globalization.”

CALD member-party Parti Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia hosted the conference, which aimed to explore issues regarding the future of regional cooperation and integration.

Kicking off the CALD Conference activities was a panel discussion on the ASEAN Community in Wawasan Open University – CALD’s way of helping bring ASEAN closer to the general public – on 24 April, followed by a welcome dinner hosted by PGRM. The next day saw a CALD Executive Committee Meeting taking place, with CALD member-parties discussing pertinent issues and concerns regarding the organization.

Following the opening session was one that compared ASEAN with other regional projects, with the goal of sharing and comparing best practices that could guide ASEAN in its community-building efforts. Rounding up the Conference activities for the day was the first of three sessions on the ASEAN Community’s three pillars.

Focusing on the ASEAN PoliticalSecurity Community, the session examined democracy-building and political development in the region, considering the diversity in political systems among the member countries.

By that afternoon, the conference proper commenced, with Jules Maaten, FNF Philippine Office Country Director, observing, “ASEAN could be much better than what it is now. But if ASEAN wasn’t here, it should now be invented, especially

The two other pillars of the ASEAN Community were tackled in separate sessions on 26 April. Discussions on the ASEAN Economic Community centred primarily on the progress and obstacles to economic integration within the region, although ASEAN integration into the global economy was also explored. For the session

CALD 2015 | 17

ABOVE. Mah Siew Keong, Minister in the Malaysian Prime Minister’s Department, graced the occasion and delivered the keynote address.

RIGHT. Sambuu (R) greets Mah (L) on behalf of the Asian liberals. Mah said the discussions in the conference are ideal platforms that could contribute to the success of ASEAN community.

on the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community, the importance of having a regional identity in community-building efforts was taken up, along strategies to foster people-to-people interaction and a people-centred ASEAN. A world café enabled the Conference delegates to synthesize the takeaways from each session and come up with a draft statement on the ASEAN Community. Once the statement was finalized, CALD adopted it. PGRM later received the statement, which put forth the organization’s stance on each of the three pillars of the ASEAN

Community, on behalf of the 2015 ASEAN Chair Malaysia.

Delivering the keynote address at the farewell dinner was MP and Minister in the Malaysian Prime Minister’s Department Mah Siew Keong, who emphasized the importance of innovation in realizing the ASEAN Community. Said Mah, who is also PGRM President: “To create a truly great common market, we need to harmonize how we promote innovation and create an eco-system for this innovation….We also need to push for a single ASEAN-wide eco-system for new ideas to thrive.”

ASEAN Inter Governmental Commission on Human Rights Rosario Manalo

Civil Will Green Party Bulgan Bayasgalant Tsogzolmaa Jamsrandorj Demberel Sambuu Gan-Ochir Zunduisuren

Democrat Party Thailand Kasit Piromya Kiat Sittheeamorn Kashane Wangpatravanich

Cambodia National Rescue Party Mu Sochua Son Chhay Tioulong Saumura Sam Rainsy

Democratic Party of Hong Kong Ramon Yuen

Friedrich Naumann Foundation Vera Putri Jasini Jules Maaten

Democratic Progressive Party of Taiwan Mark Ho James Huang Lee Shih-haw Sophie Yeh

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Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs, Malaysia Sairful Wan Jan

Earlier during the Conference, Ambassador Rosario Manalo, Philippine Special Representative to the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights, had remarked, “The lessons learned from the implementation of the Community Blueprints offer valuable guidance on the vision and direction setting for our Community beyond 2015. With issues increasingly becoming more complex and cross-cutting, the next phase in our Community-building milestone should see closer interaction and cooperation among the three Community pillars.”

Liberal Party of Sri Lanka Parti Gerakan Rakyat Rajiva Wijesinha Malaysia Jayanthi Devi Balaguru Thuang Seng Lim Liberal Party of the Siew Keong Mah Philippines Liang Teck Meng Bai Sandra Sema Yeen Seen Ng Noel Paolo Sierra Maria Carmen Zamora Singapore Democratic Party National League for Vincent Cheng Democracy Jeffrey George Myo Aung Jaslyn Go Soe Moe Thu Chee Soon Juan Nation Awakening Party John Tan Safira Machrusah

Sisters in Islam Malaysia Ratna Osman

PARTICIPANTS

PROJECTS

12-16 June | Sihanoukville-Phnom Penh, Cambodia

The international delegates together with members of the Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP), convene to discuss how Asian liberals could help the global initiative on climate change.

CALD CLIMATE CHANGE SUMMIT

PREPARING FOR COP21: ASIAN PERSPECTIVES ON CLIMATE CHANGE ANYONE STILL in doubt about just how serious an issue CALD considers climate change should take a look at what the Council was doing for four days in June in Cambodia.

From 12 to 16 June, CALD member-party representatives discussed and compared notes on regional and national fulfillment of climate-change commitments, as well as formulated strategies on how Asia could play a role in the global initiative on climate change.

In the end, they came up with a statement that CALD adopted for presentation at the 21st Session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP21) in Paris in November.

Through the years, CALD has remained steadfast in its belief that

climate change is a critical concern for Asia, where its adverse effects have placed the region’s democracies and institutions, economies, and communities at risk. But CALD has also held that a solution to the problem is possible, through dialogue and cooperation among the stakeholders, including political parties and the youth.

Three events made up the CALD Climate Change Summit in Cambodia: a seminar, a workshop, and a youth conference. The delegates came from all over Asia: Cambodia, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar,

CALD 2015 | 19

CALD Secretariat Celito Arlegue Francis Rafael Banico Francis Miguel Panday Paul Rafael

Cambodia National Rescue Party Keo Phirum Sam Rainsy Yim Sovann Saumura Tioulong

Civil Will Green Party Altankhuyag Lkhgayaa

Democrat Party Thailand Warong Dechgityigrom Monthip SrirananaTabucanon Kashane Wangpatravanich

Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle Yolla Gantosuri Panji Prasetyo

Liberal Party of the Philippines Zajid Magundadatu Peter Unabia

Parti Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia Wong Vui Soon Grace Too Yun Fong

International Federation of Liberal Youth Tone Bjorndal

National League for Democracy Khin Zaw Linn

PARTICIPANTS

CNRP’s Yim Sovann (L), MP, and CALD Youth Secretary General Kashane Wangpatravanich (R), talked about the role of the youth in addressing climate change.

the Philippines, and Thailand. The Summit had its formal start on 12 June with a welcome dinner and cultural show in Phnom Penh, with the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party acting as host. The delegates then travelled south to Sihanoukville the next day for the seminar called “International Climate Change Negotiations: How Far Have We Gone?”, where veteran climate-change negotiators Cambodian MP Saumura Tioulong of CNRP, former Thai MP Monthip Sriratana-Tabucanon of the Democrat Party, and Tone Bjorndal of the International Federation of the Liberal Youth served as panelists.

“It may be difficult for people to understand how important adaptation is for countries that suffer from climate change today,” said Bjorndal, pointing out one of the difficulties in dealing with the phenomenon. “On the other hand, you would also need mitigation to reduce the need for adaptation, because if you don’t actually reduce emissions, the effects would be worse. We need both.”

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The discussions proved more than adequate preparation for the workshop on 14 June, still in picturesque Sihanoukville. Aimed at facilitating the drafting of a CALD Climate Change Statement for COP21 that outlines a comprehensive Asian perspective on climate change, the conference had Saumura Tioulong, Monthip, and Bjorndal providing more inputs that encouraged lively discussions among the delegates using the “open space” and “world café” methods. A plenary on the results of the discussions followed, where the CALD Statement for COP21 was finalized. The day ended with the adoption of the statement, which CALD planned to present at the Paris Conference through CALD Chairperson and United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) Chairperson Oyun Sanjaasuren, as well as through IFLRY’s Bjorndal.

By 15 June, the Summit delegates were back in Phnom Penh where the youth conference was to take place at the CNRP headquarters.

With more than 100 Cambodian youths in attendance, panelists

— among them Bjorndal, CALD Youth Secretary General Kashane Wangpatravanich, and CNRP Members of Parliament Yim Sovann and Phirum Keo — talked about how the youth could play a constructive role in addressing climate change, particularly in relation to the Cambodian context.

The event also became the venue for the launch of CALD’s nearly five-minute, youth-geared educational video on climate change.

“Many of (the) international negotiations (on climate change) are slow because of the conflicting interests of developed countries and developing countries,” observed CNRP President and former CALD Chairperson Sam Rainsy. “It is all the more important that we exert more pressure – for the youth to exert on more senior leaders, so the latter can make appropriate decisions.”

CNRP Participants in the party headquarters.

PROJECTS

CALD CONFERENCE ON SDGS/ CALD WOMEN’S CAUCUS SEMINAR/ CALD EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING 6-10 November | Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

THE TAIL-END of the year usually finds organizations winding down, but CALD was still in its usual overdrive mode in November in Ulaanbaatar, lining up one activity after another there.

The official group photo during the welcome reception hosted by the Civil Will Green Party (CWGP), the chair-party of CALD.

CALD 2015 | 21

RIGHT. Stefanos Fotifou from the United Nations discussing the importance of cities and lifestyles in achieving SDGs.

Aside from a CALD Women’s Caucus Seminar and an Executive Committee Meeting, CALD – in cooperation with the Civil Will Green Party of Mongolia and support from FNF – also held a conference on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that countries across the globe had adopted just two months before.

Not contented with that, CALD also had special sessions on women and religion, the death penalty, and elections in Asia.

ABOVE. Isra Sunthornvut raises a question on the impact of the Beijing Platform of Action on women leadership.

BELOW. Women in leadership (L-R): Jayanthi Devi Balaguru, Vice Chairperson of the CALD Women’s Caucus, Raphaella Prugsamatz, Communication Officer of FNF Southeast and East Asia Office, Anneli Jäätteenmäki, MEP, Vice President of the European Parliament and former Prime Minister of Finland, Gang Badoy Capati, Founder of RockEd Philippines, Oyun Sanjaasuren, Chair of CALD, and Dr. Jargalsaikhan of the CWGP Women’s Caucus.

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CALD’s busy four days in the Mongolian capital started with a welcome dinner on 6 November.

Then it was straight to the CALD Women’s Caucus Seminar the very next morning, with the focus “Women Leadership 20 Years After the Beijing Platform of Action”. CALD Chair and Mongolian MP Oyun Sanjaasuren opened the seminar with an update on the status of Mongolian women. Oyuntsetseg Oidov, formerly with the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and Empowerment of Women (UN Women), gave the keynote address.

Said Oyuntsegtseg: “(Empowering)

women empowers humanity. It is proven that giving voice to women and a space in decision-making have positive impacts on everyone: families are healthier, people are better educated, economies grow faster and consumptions are responsible and smarter.”

After a special session on women and religion, the CALD Executive Meeting was held and the network’s recent activities and proposed 2016 events were discussed. Two resolutions were also passed, one congratulating the National League for Democracy for its imminent electoral victory in the 8 November general elections in Myanmar, and the other condemning in strongest terms the harassment of the political opposition in Cambodia. The day ended with a reception and cultural performance hosted by the CWGP at a government complex.

On 7 November, the conference on SDGs – a set of 17 goals “to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure prosperity for all”, says the United Nations – took place, with Dr. Oyun delivering the welcome

remarks. She first identified the global trends that could affect the future, noting that the world could not continue with its “businessas-usual” attitude. She added, “The next years will be critical in shaping our future towards a more sustainable path.” For his part, FNF Regional Director for Southeast and East Asia Siegfried Herzog emphasized the role of accountable and transparent institutions in addressing global challenges, including climate change.

Several keynote speeches were next, with Dr. Stephanos Fotiou of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Cambodia National Rescue Party leader Sam Rainsy, and former Prime Minister of Finland Anneli Jaatteenmaki sharing their thoughts on the SDGs. Fotiou emphasized the need for a holistic change in lifestyles, consumption patterns, infrastructure, and investments in order to adapt to climate change. Sam Rainsy noted that the achievement of the SDGs is also contingent on the respect for political freedoms.

Meantime, Jaatteenmaki in her intervention focused on Alliance of Liberal Democrats for Europe Orsolya Balogh Anneli Jäätteenmäki Norica Nicolai CALD Secretariat Celito Arlegue Jorgia Salonga Paolo Zamora Cambodia National Rescue Party Monovithya Kem Phirum Keo Sam Rainsy Mardi Seng

how developed and developing countries could work together to realize the SDGs. She pointed out, “(Investing) in people is ecological, resource efficient, and brings great benefits over the years.”

ABOVE. The CALD delegates at the Chinggis Square

In the afternoon, Herzog facilitated an open-space session on “new and innovative ideas for CALD”, identifying issues and areas that CALD should concentrate on, as well as coming up with recommendations on how CALD could improve its organization and operations. Then came two special sessions, the first on death penalty and the second on best practices on party management and election campaigns.

The last on CALD’s list of official to-dos in Mongolia was a session on the upcoming Mongolian elections in the CWGP headquarters. Finally, after all that, CALD allowed itself to enjoy the scenery under Mongolia’s wide, blue skies, taking a trip to the beautiful Mongolian countryside.

Civil Will Green Party of Mongolia Bolortsetseg Ankhaa Monsor Nyamdavaa Jargalsailhan Oyun Sanjaasuren Demberel Sambuu Gankhuyag Tserendorj Gan-Ochir Zunduisuren

Democratic Party of Hong Kong Sin Chung-Kai

Democrat Party of Thailand Pongsri Tarapoom Kiat Sitheeamorn Isra Sunthornvut

Friedrich Naumann Foundation Siegfried Herzog Moritz Kleine-Brockhoff Jules Maaten Raphaella Prugsamatz

Democratic Progressive Party of Taiwan James Huang Ching-Yi Lin Sophie Yeh

Indonesia Democratic Party of Struggle Hanjaya Setiawan

Jufri Salim, Member of Central Executive Committee of the Singapore Democratic Party, facilitates a group during the Open Space Session.

Liberal Party of the Philippines Neric Acosta Vicky Garchitorera International Network of Niel Tupas Liberal Women Christine de Saint Genois Nation Awakening Party Siti Hanniatunisa Keynote Speaker Namdag Battsereg Parti Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia Jayanthi Balaguru Liberal International Chai Ko Thing Emil Kirjas Hng Chee Wey

Resource Speaker – United Nations Stefanos Fotiou Resource Speaker – Philippines Gang Badoy Capati Singapore Democratic Party Damanhuri Abas Jufri Salim

PARTICIPANTS

CALD 2015 | 23

REGIONAL TO GLOBAL

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IN FOCUS

CALD 2015 | 25

SPEECHES

DARE TO CHANGE Aung San Suu Kyi FIRST, I want to apologize for arriving here late. Thank you very much for your patience in waiting for us and for welcoming us.

It’s been 13 years since I’ve been in Taungup. At that time, in 2002, the situation was not like this. Amidst hardships, the people in Taungup gave us then a strong support, and up to now we haven’t forgotten this and would like to thank you all for it.

While expressing my thanks, I’d like to thank especially those who are sitting in the sun on that side of the ground. Sitting in the sun and sitting in the shade is not the same. I’ve noticed that it is very warm when we are doing rallies like this. In spite of this, it’s like a tonic to us when we see our people patiently and strongly supporting us.

Now that you know the difference between feeling warm and feeling cool, the change that we are seeking is for the people to come from the sun to under the shade.

Our country is a union. It is a large country and has different regions.

But wherever we are, people’s lives are the same everywhere. Anywhere we go, we see our people wish to live in peace and in safety. To obtain this objective, all of us have to strive together.

I’m wondering whether there are some in this crowd who were just kids when I came here in 2002. I still remember one thing: When we came to Rakhine State at that time, people were very afraid to come to our talks. In those times, it was very

26 | above&beyond

dangerous to work for democracy.

But, I remember noticing kids always sitting in the front listening to what we had to say. I noticed that the adults would stand only behind those kids. Even now, we have to depend on our young people. If our young people support us in a similar fashion, one can say for sure that there will be lots of hope for the future of our country.

It’s so noisy. I’m not sure whether you can hear me well or not. If you can be less noisy, it would be better for everyone. When we are doing some kind of a thing with others, we have to be considerate towards others. We cannot just do what only one person wishes to do. If each one could be more understanding and would give up their stance, I think, it would become more convenient for all. I want to say that this country is facing lots of problems because people do not wish to give up their stance to others.

In fact, change is nothing to be feared of. When our NLD says that it is time for change, some do not like it. They do not want to change, hence, they do not like it. But, change is nothing to be afraid of. In our life, everything is changing. Even one day and the next is not the same. We can only improve, if we dare to change.

When I traveled here south from Thandwe Township (Rakhine State), I could see that there are roads being constructed, where there were none before. But, to tell the truth, roads are being built, yet they are not of good quality. Riding in a car is like riding on a galloping horse. So, I

Nobel Peace Prize winner and National League for Democracy Chairperson Daw Aung San Suu Kyi gave this address on 16 October at a rally in Taungup Township in Myanmar’s western state of Rakhine while on the campaign trail for the country’s 8 November general elections. was reflecting, whether you are building a road or whether you are doing something else, you should keep your standards very high. Our country’s development is also similar to building roads.

We notice that there is only little development in Rakhine State. I witnessed little villages still undeveloped. So, if we are doing development projects, I presume we have to be systematically planning them to be really effective and beneficial for the people. Although there are big hotels and full of global tourism businesses in Ngapali, we don’t see surrounding villages emerging very prosperous. I think there is something amiss in this. It is not genuine development when the majority is poor and only a handful of people are rich. In a genuine development, the majority should be wealthy and live with all their needs supplied.

When the majority live with all their needs supplied, and then if we find some people extremely rich, we don’t have to say anything. It is common to see only a few to be extremely rich in other countries too. But what is wrong is having only a handful that is rich and the majority being in a desperate state of needs. This situation very much hurts the dignity of a country.

Our NLD always expresses things very openly. We are participating in the election because we wish to form a government. Only if you are the government will you have the authority to be implementing things. As an opposition, we can say and oppose some of the things that are going on, but we won’t have the

right to implement things for real change in this country. For us to be able to change, I would ask you all to vote for us. When we ask for votes, when we organize people, we never do anything outside the means of law. We would only rightfully do things within the means of law. We have never tried to organize people by personally attacking some other individual. We only want to change from one system to another. We want only to change the system. We can only do this with the support of our people.

“Some people think compromise means ‘I take all, so you give all’.

Give and take should be fairly acted upon. I should take and give, and you should also take and give. Only then would this country develop.

Without people’s cooperation, we can never develop this country.”

The media standing in front should be sitting down. No one at the back can see us. When reporters in front are not sitting, the crowds at the back cannot see us. Reporters should have rights just as equal as others. People at the back cannot see us at present.

So please sit down, all of you who are at the front. You cannot be given more privileges just because you are foreigners.

We are doing organizing work, because we want to change from one system to another. So if we are criticizing something, that means we are criticizing the system. I want to say that a system that is not beneficial to the majority and that is not giving peace and security to the majority is due to be changed.

I wonder why this little group is standing there. I’ve read what is written on your forehead bandanas.

Thank you. You can take them out now. If those bandanas could be kept folded, the people at the back could see us better.

This is a lesson in democracy. When we are with others, there should be compromise. Some people think compromise means ‘I take all, so you give all’. Give and take should be fairly acted upon. I should take and give, and you should also take and give. Only then would this country develop. Without people’s cooperation, we can never develop this country. We’ve been to Kachin State, Taninthayi Division, and Shan State.

Now, we have arrived in the westernmost state of Rakhine. Only if union nationalities from north, south, east, and west, come and cooperate with us will we be able to change the system. Without changing the system, we can’t change any other thing.

In Yangon, I went to Hlaing Thayar, a suburb township. I visited the hostels

CALD 2015 | 27

DARE TO CHANGE | Aung San Suu Kyi

where young women were staying. I saw a lot of Rakhine women there.

I asked them why they came so far to work here. Some didn’t even have work yet, and were waiting for employment. They replied that they neither had work at home nor in Rakhine State, and so they came down to Yangon to find jobs. This shows how much our union still needs to be developed.

One necessity is for our citizens to find employment without leaving their native places. A condition where one cannot live with one’s parents or in one’s native place is indeed very humiliating. One has to stay in a strange place and would have to strive hard to support one’s parents.

Sometimes you are successful, and most of the times you aren’t. For all of us to have security — we have to be repeating this — the system needs to be changed. I wish to request you to help us change the system. Without the people assisting us, no system could be effectively changed.

Some would be giving promises, like “We would be doing this and that for you”. Don’t believe in these people who give empty promises. It is important to keep your promises.

A promise should not be easily given.

We always say that we will be striving for things to be done. By saying “we will be striving” doesn’t mean that the NLD members are not qualified.

What we mean is without people’s support, we cannot do anything. We have to mainly strive for people’s support.

In this election also, all the people should join together with us and vote

28 | above&beyond

for us. Without people’s votes, we cannot change this system. Every individual is very important. I would like to request you to value yourself.

I would like to call on you to go and vote on 8 November with a spirit of an ability to change. We have to work ourselves to make sure that we are on the voters’ list. If our NLD could work out that for you, we would very much want to do it. But, we don’t have the right to do it. You have to see to it yourselves that your names are on the voters’ list. And when you are doing the act of voting, you have to go and do it yourself too. I can only call on you and request you to do it. Participate. Make a decision for your future. I’d like you all to understand that this coming election is very important for the future of our country.

Our NLD dares to be tested by the people. I can guarantee we have

“We want not only to win. We want to win 100 percent. But we would only wish to win fairly and with dignity.” never unfairly organized anyone for this election. We have not attacked anyone or any organization. We oppose matters that are against our policies and system. We express them openly to the people. However, we do not know how to organize with enticements. We also never organized with threats. I dare say we never organized people by finding faults with other organizations.

We want not only to win. We want to win 100 percent. But we would only wish to win fairly and with dignity.

With unfairness and without dignity, it would be better to lose than to win. If you want the country to be really changed, the most important thing for an organization is receiving people’s trust. Without people’s trust, you can never effectively or successfully implement any change.

We would not give promises to people that we cannot keep. If we unfairly or without dignity organize the people, they would not trust us.

If people do not put their trust in us, even if we become the government, we will not be able to do things that would be beneficial to the country.

Therefore, we are contesting the election with dignity and we want to win the election with the trust of the people in us.

Once we win the election, we will work accordingly for the development of Rakhine State on our understanding based on equality and rights for all nationalities.

Rakhine State is naturally very beautiful and full of resources. Although it is very beautiful and resourceful, we have to question why Rakhine nationals are not wealthy. The main thing is for the people to be prosperous. A nation’s prosperity doesn’t mean that the government is wealthy. We should all understand that a nation’s prosperity means the people are wealthy. For people to be prosperous, the government has to shoulder its responsibility. If you have asked for the right to become a government, responsibility for the people would be attached to it. For

some, being a government means just to have authority, power, and rights, and endeavor only for the good of your own family. In fact, a government should be working for its people. It should not work for its family, its organization, or for its own little group only.

very much scared of change. I’m not sure whether they are thinking that their status quo should be just like that forever. According to the state of impermanence, things have to change. I want to urge that there should be change with the election.

I would want to call on people to

I can say boldly that we will work towards the NLD winning the election, and that the NLD members will not hope for special privileges. We will not be biased either. We will never treat our party members and members of other parties differently.

A dignified government should not be treating people like that.

A dignified government will treat all its citizens equally, without any discrimination. It is not compatible with true democracy, if one treats its own party members differently from members of other parties. These are not standards for development of a country.

“According to the state of impermanence, things have to change. I want to urge that there should be change with the election.”

Some say that a number of individuals and organizations are getting scared that the NLD would be winning the election. I want to tell them not to be scared. We don’t have any purpose to hurt anyone. We will be doing only good for everyone. The dignity of a winner starts with being broad-minded. A winner should be magnanimous, broad-minded, and dignified, respectfully value one who loses, and not be just selfish. If we can’t do that, our country would not be worthy of democracy.

In a democracy, governments would keep changing. Since we stayed under an authoritarian rule for over 50 years, some societies are

vote for the NLD, so that the state of impermanence could be taught by those who understand it to those who do not.

It is good, a change of government.

It’s good for the people, and good for the government as well. What I mean with good for the people is, when people have the right to change governments, the governments would respect their people and strive for their prosperity. Governments who do not work for the benefit of their people would realize that they would lose in the next election; hence, they cannot be only reasoning for themselves but would come to realize that it is important to work for the people.

election. Thus, governments will strive to have a higher standard and be more qualified. Only then can they benefit the country and would come to understand that they can still win in the next election. We don’t know whether they have come to understand it or not, but let’s try to make them understand. I would like to request to quickly implement changes for both the government and the people through democracy.

We don’t have many chances to meet with our people. It’s a rare opportunity for us to come from Yangon to this far-away place of Taungup to meet with you. So, like in other places, I am inviting people to questions, so that through this discussion, we would become friendlier. Also, in a democracy, those who are involved in politics always have to learn from the people. If they don’t learn, they would not have any insight and would be far from what the people really want.

If they are far from the people, they cannot work out effective democracy. So we invite questions from the people. We’ll answer as much as we can, and if we cannot answer them, we just have to say that we don’t know. It’s not very hard. I’d like kids to ask questions, but I don’t see many kids here. In one place, one kid asked about education, and I was pleased indeed.

Governments could only be good when they are being assessed by the people. Governments would come to realize that they could be removed from their position by the people through a democratic

CALD 2015 | 29

SPEECHES

TURNING TEARS INTO SMILES Tsai Ing-Wen TODAY IS a very important day. I am extremely honoured to accept the nomination of the Democratic Progressive Party, and to formally represent the DPP to stand for election to be the next President of the Republic of China.

This is a pivotal moment for our party. I want to especially thank the DPP city mayors and county magistrates, as well as the members of the Central Standing Committee and my predecessors in the party who are able to be here with me at this critical time.

We are here today to demonstrate that the DPP is a united party. More importantly, we have a common recognition that, when we walk out of this door at the end of the press conference today, we will be carrying with us a new mission, of gathering all of our strength to change this country.

After experiencing the past few years, how would you describe this country? I believe that for most people, the answer is that the leadership in this country has become its biggest problem. When it comes to many policies that deeply impact people’s lives, the government has kept the public outside while making decisions by itself behind closed doors. But the painful consequences of the government’s erroneous policies are then directly borne by the people. Our economy lacks sufficient momentum for growth, and lackluster business prospects are causing anxiety, yet the government cannot put forth proactive measures.

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Furthermore, we face a serious problem of the unequal distribution of wealth, causing many working families to struggle from day to day.

Workers’ wages have regressed to the levels of 15 years ago while youth unemployment has reached 13 percent. The Taiwanese people have lost their self-confidence, and the youth have lost hope. In a national environment of weak growth and unequal distribution of wealth, the younger generation has lost its upward mobility. When young people cease to dream, it becomes a nightmare for the whole country.

What Taiwan needs in 2016 is not just another transfer of power between parties. The old model of governance from the previous era must also be changed.

The KMT government loves to embellish statistical data, and to trumpet unreachable slogans such as “633”, all the while forgetting that the people’s prosperity is the truest indicator for measuring the success of the government’s policies.

Our country must begin down a new path, one based on the establishment of a government that puts the people first, that holds the people’s needs and dignity as the starting point for determining the country’s policy direction. So when I say that the new model of economic development must have “innovation, employment, and distribution” as its core concept, what I am referring to is an economic vision that places the people first.

Within this vision, innovation will be the driver of economic growth, with the creation of employment

Now President-elect of the Republic of China (Taiwan), Dr. Tsai delivered this speech on 15 April at the Democratic Progressive Party headquarters in Taipei after she was nominated as the party’s standard bearer in Taiwan’s 2016 presidential polls. opportunities being the ultimate goal of economic development, while the fruits of economic success should be shared fairly among all citizens.

In my eyes, the people are not statistics.

We must also look at the structure of economic governance from a new perspective, and allow local governments to share in the task of stimulating industrial growth together with the central government, with the aim of achieving regionally balanced development. The central actors in this new model will not just be government and industry; the “third sector”, including NGOs and social enterprises—and with the job opportunities and services that they provide—will all play important roles.

Going forward, the government’s policy planning will be combined with industry’s creativity and technological application as well as the social mutual assistance model of the third sector, to create a new, “triple-win” equilibrium that benefits society, industry, and the government.

But to me, economic development is merely the starting point, while the end goal is to ensure that every individual can reap the rewards of their hard work and enjoy a decent quality of life.

Workers are at the heart of the functioning of our economy. The country should make sure that the institutions providing medical, education, and retirement services to workers’ families receive stable support to maintain a basic level of dignity. When caring for elders has

become serious strain on the average family, we must revisit the people’s basic needs to build a system for affordable and quality elder care.

When wage earners are under so much financial pressure that they can barely catch their breath, we have to reevaluate the fairness of the tax structure and review the issue of a capital-gains tax.

I have long believed that if the government is willing to engage in looking at the issues from the perspective of the people’s needs and reassess the outdated concepts of governance, the policy decisions by the government would be very different.

We would no longer point to the

“Our country must begin down a new path, one based on the establishment of a government that puts the people first, that holds the people’s needs and dignity as the starting point for determining the country’s policy direction.” escalation of housing prices as a symbol of society’s prosperity.

Instead, we would combine a more just tax structure with the provision of public housing to enable young people to live and work contently without carrying a heavy mortgage for the whole rest of their lives.

We would not permit food producers to continue to neglect, unchecked, the health of their consumers for the sake of profit, turning food safety into a national problem. We will monitor businesses and let public authorities serve as the guardians of public health. We also hope to turn higher food safety and quality standards into a source of growth and advancement for new agriculture and productive industries.

We would certainly not allow land conservation and agricultural development to be sacrificed.

Through the aerial camera eye of the documentary “Beyond Beauty: Taiwan from Above”, we saw a national landscape marked by countless wounds. We will put forth advanced regulations and proactive measures to protect the land that our people rely on for survival.

We would also not let our citizens remain vulnerable to the high risk of nuclear disaster and extensive pollution. We will respond to the people’s desire for a high-quality environment by expanding our conservation efforts and accelerating the development of green energy, which will at the same time create new possibilities for Taiwan’s industries.

It would take us a whole day to enumerate one by one all of the policy areas that require comprehensive reform. This includes the government’s out-of-control fiscal policy, the unequal pension scheme, the decoupling of the education system from society’s evolution,

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TURNING TEARS INTO SMILES | Tsai Ing-Wen

regionally unbalanced development, bureaucratic inefficiency, and so on.

This country has too many problems that have reached a level of severity that can only be reversed through decisive and resolute action. The first step to addressing these problems is to win the 2016 election and bring an end to the KMT administration, so that the government can return to the starting point of putting people first.

In the next few months, I will convey to the people our policy proposals for each one of these pressing challenges facing Taiwan. I will tell everyone what plans the DPP has formulated to address these issues, and how much time and resources our proposals require.

I want to tell everyone that to change this country we must all share a common will. Then, out of many diverse opinions, decisions can be made through a democratic process so that everyone is united and walking forward together. What I am preparing to do is to unite this country, to forge the greatest possible strength for reform.

In the course of promoting thorough reform, we will need a peaceful and stable external environment. The management of cross-strait relations is the dimension of Taiwan’s external relations that undoubtedly receives the greatest amount of attention. I will emphasize again that cross-strait relations are not KMT-CCP relations, and will not become DPP-CCP relations in the future.

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On the basis of this belief, the DPP will assume the responsibility of reform and resolve to promote the passage of the cross-strait negotiations oversight law, to establish a complete framework for the continuation of cross-strait negotiations.

With regard to the cross-strait agreements that are currently under negotiation or review, when we return to government they will be monitored on a case-by-case basis in accordance with the oversight legislation as the negotiation proceeds. This will guide the cross-strait interactions towards a more sustainable, more democratic track based solidly upon the public will.

I must also reiterate here that the DPP’s basic principle for managing cross-strait relations is to “maintain the status quo”. When changes of government have become a normalized part of Taiwan’s democracy, cross-strait relations must always be in accordance with the public will no matter who governs in the future.

Therefore, the next president must take up the mission of normalizing cross-strait relations by taking them beyond the KMT-CCP framework.

I ask the Taiwanese people to trust that I absolutely will not fail to live up to this mission.

Lastly, I want to thank all of the people that have accompanied me, supported me, and encouraged me over these last few years.

Before leaving home this morning, I thought back to the night of the 2012 election defeat. There were many young people there with tears

streaming down their faces. Today I say to you all what I told myself this morning: I will do my utmost to turn those tears into smiles.

And now, I will once again welcome this challenge. The one who stands before you is still Tsai Ing-wen.

Nevertheless, I intend to show everyone my diligent efforts over the past three years, the ways in which I have changed. I will become the leader that everyone expects in their hearts and lead this country toward change, to restore the people’s confidence and light up Taiwan.

“I want to tell everyone that to change this country we must all share a common will. Then, out of many diverse opinions, decisions can be made through a democratic process so that everyone is united and walking forward together. What I am preparing to do is to unite this country, to forge the greatest possible strength for reform.”

SPEECHES

NURTURING INNOVATION FOR A STRONG ASEAN COMMUNITY Mah Siew Keong The Parti Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia National President, who is also Minister in the Malaysian Prime Minister’s Department, gave this keynote address on 26 April at the CALD conference on regional integration that was held in Kuala Lumpur.

I AM very pleased and honored to be given the opportunity here today to speak to you. On behalf of Parti Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia as the co-organizer of CALD Conference 2015, I would like to extend my warmest welcome to dignitaries and participants. Welcome to Malaysia.

We are proud that Malaysia is the Chair of ASEAN for 2015 and the theme of our ASEAN Chairmanship is “Our People, Our Community, Our Vision”. 2015 is the year that the ASEAN Community is to be launched. We believe it is the first step to further prosperity and cooperation between various nations in this part of the world. We continue to envision greater integration and advancement of the region as one ASEAN community.

It is our hope that the Conference and the accompanying CALD Executive Committee Meeting here would be the ideal platform for our friends and partners of CALD to discuss and contribute to the success of ASEAN Community. We certainly hope that the ASEAN Summit that is being held concurrently will be

a success and pave the way for us towards the realization of a peaceful, integrated, and advanced ASEAN big family.

ASEAN, which today is a US$2.5trillion marketplace and home to 625 million people, is being billed as the world’s greatest emerging economy.

By the end of this year, we will follow Europe in declaring ourselves as a single market much like the European Union.

Collectively ASEAN would boast a combined GDP of US$3 trillion in 2015, and will be closer to US$4 trillion in 2020 according to estimates by the International Monetary Fund.

Creating a single market from Southeast Asia’s diverse range of economies will have its own challenges. A single ASEAN Economic Community would mean that we would have to increase harmonization and connectivity within the grouping to ensure unencumbered movement of goods, services, and people, as well as free flow of funds.

All of which are crucial to create our vision of a single market.

The ASEAN chairmanship assumed

by Malaysia has given us a great opportunity to promote the concept of a “People-Centred ASEAN” as our theme. We are now in a driving seat that we gladly take with a strong sense of mission and optimism to help shape a better future for all ASEAN countries, with the people at the centre of all events and programmes.

I strongly feel that the theme chosen

by Malaysia is the reflection of a common wish amongst ASEAN people to move forward as a strong and united community. Under the theme “People-Centred ASEAN”, we must now ensure that the people are informed of the importance and significance of the coming ASEAN community in an overall macro context, and also facilitate understanding and adaptation to the progressive changes slated to take place.

As reminded by our Prime Minister Dato’ Sri Najib Tun Razak, we must ensure that we will endeavour towards fulfilling every content or agenda in the ASEAN blueprint as a regional community that centred on the three pillars of ASEAN, namely the ASEAN Political-Security Community (APSC), the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC), and the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community (ASCC). We look forward to bring ASEAN closer to the people of ASEAN as reflected in our theme – “Our People, our Community, Our Vision”.

The very nature of the idea to establish an ASEAN Community transcending geopolitical, socio-economical, cultural, and religious barriers is undoubtedly innovative. It is important that we set out to achieve what we are capable of visualizing and conceptualizing: an ASEAN family that is stronger and united in the face of challenges, problems, or setbacks.

We need to emphasize the importance of change for betterment. Here

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NURTURING INNOVATION FOR A STRONG ASEAN COMMUNITY | Y.B. Dato’ Mah Siew Keong

I would like to suggest that while all efforts are being put to harmonize our laws and financial frameworks to create our vision, ASEAN members should not forget that most crucial ingredient for growth, which is innovation.

To create a truly great common market, we will also need to harmonize how we promote innovation and create an ecosystem for this innovation. For the longest time, economic development in the majority of ASEAN states has been heavily dependent upon government infrastructure development, foreign direct investment, and the growth of local conglomerate firms.

As a result of this traditional emphasis, indigenous innovation has always taken a back seat, as many states prefer to rely on innovations that are non-ASEAN for development. Going forward — and if we want to stand out as an economic and manufacturing powerhouse — we will need to push for innovation that is created in ASEAN. But here’s an essential factor in the creation of indigenous ASEAN innovation: we will need to push for a single ASEAN-wide eco-system for new ideas to thrive.

Since 2010, innovation has been the ultimate priority of the Malaysian Government with the creation of the Special Innovation Unit, or UNIK, by Prime Minister Dato’ Seri Mohd Najib Tun Abdul Razak.

This unit was the precursor to the Agensi Inovasi Malaysia (AIM) or the National Innovation Agency that was established under the Agensi Inovasi Malaysia Act 2010.

Malaysia had institutionalized innovation through an Act of Parliament out of necessity as we recognized this need to remain relevant in the global market and continue to

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develop a competitive edge in the ever-changing global economic landscape. We did this because we believe that the ability of any nation to adjust and embrace change will determine its prosperity.

Thus innovation became an integral part of the national agenda and strategy. Through AIM, the Government has created numerous initiatives to generate a new wave of wealth through knowledge, technology, and innovation, while stimulating the innovation ecosystem.

AIM’s numerous initiatives are used as tools to catalyse innovation four areas: the government sector, people, academia, and industry. Using a multi-pronged approach to stimulate innovation, which includes collaborations and investments – both direct and indirect — we are continuously pushing for the development of a thinking culture, innovative organizations, closer relationship between industry and academia, and the commercialization of innovations, with the aim of transforming strategic sectors.

Being advocates of innovation and looking beyond its obvious benefits to our gross national income by also taking into account its impact on the well-being of society, AIM’s initiatives also stimulate innovations at the grassroots level – or innovation by people for the people. The agency currently has 13 such initiatives, converging and working collaboratively to stimulate innovation at all levels.

To gain the maximum leverage on this push to create innovation, we have also created a platform that provides a seamless eco-system for the commercialization of new ideas.

This is PlaTCOM Ventures Sdn Bhd, which is a subsidiary of the agency and was formed with the collaboration of our small and medium

industry agency, SME Corporation Malaysia. As a result, PlaTCOM Ventures is an inspiring collaboration and an amalgamation of two national initiatives: the Innovation Business Opportunities (IBO) under AIM and the High Impact Programme.

The amalgamation of the IBO and HIP2-TCP programmes will further enhance industry-academia collaboration and the commercialization of Malaysian Intellectual Property Rights.

Using PlaTCOM as a vehicle, AIM has plans to establish the 1ASEAN platform for Intellectual Property trading and commercialization in our single ASEAN market. This IP trading platform will enable technology providers to promote their innovations whilst creating an ideal Intellectual Property Rights marketplace for technology hunters and investors to identify the right one that fits their business requirements.

This active online platform will be supported by a group of well-trained technology-transfer managers that adds the human element to the entire technology-transfer process.

In the present scenario, researchers and inventors spend a great deal of effort in discovering new inventions and are relentless in their pursuit of better ways of doing things.

Unfortunately, despite their persistence, many of their creations and inventions never see the light of day.

This is largely due to the fact that the best inventors are not necessarily the best marketers, who can turn those ideas into actual product and services. We feel that an effective IP trading platform is therefore needed to facilitate a higher commercialization rate amongst ASEAN members.

Once set up, this ASEAN-wide platform will be a hallmark in enabling the flow of IP amongst the member states as well as its flow in and out of

the ASEAN. The platform is aimed at improving the level of awareness on available IPRs for industry take-up amongst ASEAN countries and providing an IP trading promotional e – platform to facilitate licensing and product commercialization.

It should provide better access for entrepreneurs, businesses, and investors (such as Business Angels and Venture Capitalists) to step forward and work towards creating value from these inventions. This platform offers a unique opportunity for ASEAN countries to interact and form sustainable business relationships through the active facilitation and guidance of well-trained technology transfer managers.

“But here’s an essential factor in the creation of indigenous ASEAN innovation: we will need to push for a single ASEAN-wide eco-system for new ideas to thrive.”

Following AIM and PlaTCOM’s engagements with Indonesia, Philippines, Vietnam, and Brunei, we are convinced that the respective governments are supportive of the 1ASEAN platform for IP trading and PlaTCOM will continue to take the lead in introducing this idea to the rest of the ASEAN state members.

To further accelerate commercialization in the region, AIM is also in the midst of creating an IP Commercialization Fund (IPCF) to commercialize early-stage IP arising from research organizations such as universities and research institutes, both local and international.

The setting up of this fund is aimed at tackling the issue of the low rate of commercialization due to the lack of dedicated funds with co-investment from private sector to commercialize early-stage IPRs. This problem has hampered SMEs, which remain uncompetitive and have low levels of innovations as a result.

Under this initiative, investment from international and local private-sector and sovereign partners can be obtained by securing a high-quality portfolio of long-term IP commercialization rights from local and international research institutions.

AIM through PlaTCOM is already in talks with entities in Europe and the United Kingdom to establish this fund.

The time is right now for all of us to re-commit ourselves to the common understanding and aspiration that once brought us together as we share the same fate and destiny as regional partners and family of ASEAN. Now we are looking to further strengthen our ties and bring ASEAN members closer as one community.

We are writing history by opening a new chapter of regional integration in ASEAN’s multi aspects. I hope this is the beginning of something great if we endeavour the way we endeavour today.

I would like to once more extend my sincerest welcome to all dignitaries and participants and wish you all a happy time in Malaysia. I am certain that 2015 will be a historic year indeed for the entire Southeast Asia region. The best is yet to come — let us pray for the success of ASEAN Community and a bright future ahead for all of us.

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SPEECHES

LIBERALISM IN THE 21st CENTURY Franklin M. Drilon IT GIVES me great pleasure to welcome all of you. We are gathered here today, not primarily as representatives of our respective parliaments to the Inter-Parliamentary Union, but as liberals. It is not often that we are invited to events on the basis of our ideological leanings, so we thought that we might as well use this occasion to reflect on the challenges to liberalism in the 21st century.

One of the strengths of liberalism is its capacity for self-correction. This flows from our ideology’s openness to diverse – even hostile – views and opinions. This also explains our more positive stance towards change. Liberalism’s openness to change, while oftentimes interpreted as a sign of ideological malleability, is actually what makes it persists amidst changing circumstances.

So where does liberalism stand amid the challenges of the 21st century?

From the rise of extremist groups like ISIS/ISIL, the persecution of journalists in Latin America, the threats to members of LGBT community in Russia and Africa, the growing strength of ultranationalist, anti-immigrant parties and groups in Europe, to the persistence of authoritarian regimes and wealth inequality in Asia – there is no doubt that the world would benefit from the application of more liberal ideas and principles.

Liberalism is said to be the ideology of the 21st century, but why does it appear to be in retreat? Why do liberal politicians and political parties lose popular support in many parts of the world?

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If liberals can offer the best solutions to the problems confronting the world today, why are we losing elections to conservatives, populists, and ultranationalists? What are we doing wrong, and how can we address this?

My fellow liberals, let me offer one possible explanation for this unfortunate state of affairs. I surmise that liberalism’s current crisis flows from our inability to correct the misconceptions about liberalism, particularly in relation to the economy. To this day, liberalism is still perceived as the ideology of the elites, of the privileged class, and that it works solely for their interests alone to the detriment of the rest of the population. It continues to be seen as impervious to the needs of the poor and the marginalized. Liberalism, in essence, is (wrongly) blamed for the widening wealth inequality in the world today.

And the gap between the rich and the poor is indeed increasing. The report published by Oxfam International in January 2014 reveals this worrisome trend: •

Almost half of the world’s wealth is now owned by just one percent of the population.

•

The wealth of the one percent richest people in the world amounts to US$110 trillion.

That’s 65 times the total wealth of the bottom half of the world’s population.

•

The bottom half of the world’s population owns the same as the richest 85 people in the world.

Philippine Senate President and Liberal Party stalwart Drilon delivered this speech at the 27 March dinner reception for the delegates of the 132nd Assembly of the Inter Parliamentary Union held in Hanoi, Vietnam.

•

Seven out of 10 people live in countries where economic inequality has increased in the last 30 years.

That inequality is increasing, despite the global economic expansion since the post-World War II era, and raises questions on whether the rising “neoliberal” tide indeed lifts all boats, or only the yachts of the wealthy. Does the “invisible hand of the market” promote the general interest of all or does it only cater to the whims of the elites?

How we respond to this question is crucial to our goal of regaining the people’s trust and popular support.

The problem is that we liberals have not been very aggressive in answering the accusations against us, despite our knowledge of empirical evidence to the contrary. For example, numerous multi-country studies in the past arrived at the following conclusions: •

The group of the poorest and least growing countries is almost totally identical with those who have not opened their economies and constantly interfere with the freedom of the people.

•

The per capita income in the economically freest countries is almost 10 times as high as in the least free.

•

Gross domestic product is highest in countries with the best ranking for protection of rights to property.

•

Long-term prosperity is positively correlated with stable,

constitutional conditions (rule of law).

These findings show that liberal policies have been more successful in addressing wealth inequality than various policies that forward state intervention. It is time that we liberals become more vocal about this, and face the criticisms against us, head-on.

More importantly, we must practise what we preach, so we do not experience a crisis of credibility. That some of the countries that advance the liberal economy are economic protectionists themselves certainly do not help in this regard.

To be sure, the contributions of liberalism to modern society are enormous. Its core principles are embodied in the most important documents of modern times – from the Declaration of Independence of the United States, to the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen by the French National Assembly, to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by the United Nations. The principles that we hold dear today – freedom, equality, human rights, democracy, rule of law, good governance, fair competition – can be traced directly to the liberal ideology.

Liberalism, it is said, is protective of the interests of the wealthy, of developed countries, of Western nations that exploit the poor and the powerless. While this is an unfair accusation, considering modern liberalism’s emphasis on redistribution, it cannot be denied that other ideologies have more powerful explanations and prescriptions as regards the persistence of poverty and inequality in the world.

Let me end with a quote from noted international relations scholars John Baylis and Steve Smith, who captured the key challenge of liberalism in our times. They said and I quote, “The key question for Liberalism at the dawn of the new century is whether it can reinvent itself as a non-universalizing, non-Westernizing political idea, which preserves the traditional liberal value of human solidarity without undermining cultural diversity.”

Provided liberalism does not abandon its fundamental principle – the principle of freedom – I have no doubt that liberalism can surmount this challenge.

Long live liberalism! Mabuhay!

Then, as now, the main criticisms of liberalism come from the marginalized class, developing countries, and their supporters. The critics view liberalism as a status quo ideology that ignores widespread inequalities and marginalization in both domestic and international contexts. As critical theorist Robert Cox once said, “Theory is always for someone and for some purpose.” This applies to the liberal theory as well.

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SPEECHES

EQUALITY IS AN ENDLESS PROCESS Anneli Jäätteenmaki The European Parliament Vice President and former Prime Minister of Finland gave this keynote speech on 7 November during the CALD seminar on women leadership that was held in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.

June. He emphasized the Mongolian people’s will to live free. Mongolia has successfully turned the burden of communism into functioning democratic institutions. This change has required the commitment and sacrifices of great depth by strong women and men.

I AM delighted to be here with you as a representative of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe.

The work continues, but Mongolia has picked her side. Your country stands up for women’s rights. Your country fights against corruption.

You have chosen the road of a fair and equal society that seeks to benefit all of its members. I wish you success and determination on that road.

I see the enthusiasm and innovative spirit that the Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats works with.

You face a number of challenges in your countries, yet you carry on with ever-stronger dedication to the ideal of a free society. Thank you.

Despite having done a long career for equality between women and men, I have come here to learn. For as long as there is more work to do, there is something to be learned. Reaching from the grassroots to the highest level of policy, what we have heard today in the panel and will hear in the session on women in leadership — these are all tools that we must put to use when we go back, each to our own work.

I must express my gratitude to our Mongolian hosts and the Civil Will – Green Party. Your relentless work for a society of justice and openness is an example to be followed. I would like to thank Ms. Oyun for her welcoming words.

I am honored to be your guest.

The President of Mongolia spoke before the European Parliament last

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Concerning today’s next topic, women in leadership, I must say that more women in government makes for better government. It makes for policies that better correspond to the needs of the people. In my country, Finland, we have been able to distribute wealth across the strata of our society through a combination of hard work, open competitive markets, and solidarity for one to another.

Ultimately, solidarity has led to equality. When we attend to the needs of others, there comes a point when we must demand the same rights for those others as we do for ourselves.

This leads to equality.

And equality has no beginning or end. Equality is a process which we must constantly work for. Future generations are not born into equality, they are educated into it. And they are the ones who one day must take responsibility for it. We set the standard today with our actions.

RESOLUTIONS Resolution No. 1 S. 2015 | Issued 26 April Calls for a new Thai constitution that will be more conducive to the country’s democratization and which must be accepted by the people through a nationwide referendum; and urges leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations gathered in Malaysia for the 26th ASEAN Summit to push the Thai leadership towards a clear roadmap to democracy that would manifest its commitment to return political power to the people as soon as possible.

Resolution No. 3 S. 2015 | Issued 13 November Applauds the people of Burma for enduring, on the 8 November general elections, long lines under the scorching heat of the sun so they could freely exercise their right of suffrage; congratulates the National League for Democracy for its imminent electoral victory, as well as wishes its leader, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, great success as she and her party build a democratic, developed, and inclusive country that the people of Burma so rightfully deserve; and urges all stakeholders to continue to push for Burma’s democratic transition beyond the polls.

Resolution No. 2 S. 2015 | Issued 18 May Resolution No. 4 S. 2015 | Issued 16 November Calls on ASEAN, guided by its vision of “caring and sharing community”, to convene an emergency summit on regional measures to improve the plight of the Rohingya and other vulnerable minorities in the region; believes that the 29 May meeting spearheaded by Thailand to discuss the “root causes” of “irregular migration in the Indian Ocean” is a good preliminary step towards a regional solution to the issue; urges the Philippines, being the only Southeast Asian state-party in the UN Convention on the Status of Stateless Persons, to spearhead efforts in safeguarding the rights of stateless persons, including the minimum standards of treatment that all countries should observe; and calls on concerned Southeast Asian countries to recognize their moral obligation to ensure that the Rohingya and other minorities are accorded the human dignity and basic rights they deserve.

In the wake of a savage attack on two opposition lawmakers on 26 October, condemns in strongest terms the use of violence in any form to intimidate and terrorize Cambodia’s political opposition and the broader population; believes that the imprisonment of lawmaker Hong Sok Hour, the ouster of Kem Sokha as vice president of the Cambodian National Assembly, and the warrant of arrest against opposition leader and legislator Sam Rainsy are pure and simple political harassment; urges Prime Minister Hun Sen to create an atmosphere conducive to the continuation of the “culture of dialogue”; and calls on the international community to be vigilant in monitoring the disturbing political developments in Cambodia.

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STATEMENTS AND LETTERS THE statements made by CALD in 2015 covered a wide range of issues, but there were common threads running through all three. One was that dealing with each issue would mean a long-drawn process. The other was the importance of dialogue and cooper ation in ensuring success in each one.

CALD’s first statement of the year, which it adopted on 25 April in Kuala Lumpur, especially underlined the latter. The statement was primarily to express support for and applaud the move of Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen and Minority Leader Sam Rainsy to jointly meet and talk with Cambodian migrant workers in the Malaysian capital. Hun Sen and Sam Rainsy are known not to get along, but they were willing to set aside their differences and together engage with their countrymen abroad.

CALD welcomed the example shown by Hun Sen and Sam Rainsy in working together “to promote public interest”. It added, “Any form of dialogue helps bring out authentic engagement and bridges the gap on any political divide. CALD believes that dialogue is the best form of cooperation between and among political parties and stakeholders.”

It also said, “It is imperative that the culture of mutual understanding, driven by the need for peaceful engagement and continued vigilance to democratic reforms, be imprinted in

the consciousness of leaders to further strengthen the cause of the citizens.”

CALD then encouraged the political parties in Cambodia “to continue to work together along the path of peaceful and constructive cooperation.” Dialogue, it also said, “is a channel that can transform politics to the highest level of public and governance”.

The crucial role of dialogue and cooperation could also be gleaned in CALD’s statement on the ASEAN Community, which it adopted on 26 April, also in Kuala Lumpur. Saying that it shared with ASEAN “the goals of enduring peace, stability, and shared prosperity in Southeast Asia and the broader Asian region”, CALD then enumerated what it believed to essential elements for each pillar of the ASEAN Community to enable it to progress and prosper.

For the ASEAN Political Security Community, it called on ASEAN to

For the ASEAN Economic Community, CALD called on ASEAN to

For the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community, CALD called on ASEAN to

• Ensure that all its member-states adhere to the principles of democracy, rule of law, and promotion and protection of human rights;

• Harmonize relevant domestic rules and regulations to facilitate intraASEAN services, investments, and trade;

• Promote ASEAN identity consisting of unity in diversity and the ASEAN way through education, the media, cultural exchanges, tourism and sporting events, and other mechanisms that encourage people-topeople interaction;

• Support more activities for government officials, think tanks, and civil-society organizations, including networks of political parties, to share experiences and best practices in the promotion of democratic principles and strengthening of democratic institutions; • Welcome the statement of the military government of Thailand to come up with a clear roadmap to democracy; • Take steps to hasten the negotiation with China for a Code of Conduct on the South China Sea; • Establish a research and planning agency that will study the commonalities among ASEAN member states and facilitate ASEAN approaches in addressing the region’s needs and challenges; and • Practise transparency in military procurement, work together within the UN peacekeeping and humanitarian efforts, and cooperate more on cross-border crime prevention.

• Accelerate the elimination of non-tariff barriers to trade and the establishment of an effective surveillance mechanism to ensure compliance; • Have harmonization and standardization that would promote greater mobility of skilled and unskilled labour across ASEAN countries; • Speak as one voice in global trade negotiations; • Hasten the process of communication, connection, and physical infrastructures;

• Train the labour force in ASEAN member states so they can be more qualified, competent, and suited for regional and global integration;

• Ensure that small – and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs) and farmers truly benefit from ASEAN Economic Community integration through assistance, access to information, and the market; and

• Urge each member state to ensure effective implementation of the ASEAN Declaration on the Protection and Promotion of the Rights of Migrant Workers, and to develop a legally binding instrument that monitors compliance; and

• Reduce the involvement of stateowned enterprises (SOEs), except in areas of national security, special concern, and/or times of crisis.

• Enhance member states’ efforts on climate change through increased sharing of information and technology.

CALD’s third and last statement in 2015 was as detailed and as lengthy – but rightly so. After all, it was for COP21, which CALD noted was aimed at reaching for the first time in two decades “a universal, legally binding agreement that will enable the

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• Broaden its civil-society linkages by engaging with other regional and national civil-society networks apart from those where ASEAN already has institutionalized relationship;

international community to combat climate change effectively and boost the transition towards resilient, low-carbon societies and economies”.

CALD stressed that “progress in addressing climate change can only be achieved through a broad participatory process involving all layers of society”. It added that a solution is “possible through dialogue and cooperation among different stakeholders”.

On Disaster-Risk Preparedness, Prevention, Reduction, and Management • Institutionalize and intensify Disaster-Risk Preparedness, Prevention, Reduction, and Management policies, structures, support, and coordination mechanisms, and ensure that all relevant legislation are implemented and enforced; • Develop, employ, and strengthen the capacities and mechanisms of local, national, and regional governments for Disaster Response and Disaster Rehabilitation and Recovery; and • Reduce climate-risk exposures and vulnerability by building the adaptive capacity of the most vulnerable people and communities.

Adopted on 14 June in Sihanoukville, Cambodia, the CALD Climate Change Statement for COP21 thus called on the international community to:

On Building Adaption and Resilience • Facilitate knowledge and technology transfer to least developed and most vulnerable countries and strengthen the exchange of best practices in climate-change adaptation in regional and international fora; • Ensure the inclusion of climate-change and disaster-risk information in national education systems, as well as in community-based awareness programmes, with particular attention to decision-makers and administrators, while encouraging community-based preparation and early-warning systems, along with mitigation and risk-reduction activities; and • Recognize that climate change brings about threats as well as opportunities, which must be capitalized on to demand a more transparent, accountable, and responsive government and a more climate-resilient society.

CALD also found time to write a few letters in 2015, most of which were in recognition of accomplishments by members of the CALD family. On 13 January, for instance, CALD wrote to Liberal Party of Sri Lanka Leader Rajiva Wijesinha, congratulating him on his appointment as State Minister of Higher Education. CALD also expressed pleasure in knowing that Wijesinha and the Liberal Party would now be “in a better position to shape higher education based on liberal principles”, as well as in “an unprecedented election result” that indicated that the LP and Wijesinha would be able to count on popular support for the education reforms that they may propose.

On 6 March, CALD sent no less than its own chairperson, MP Oyun Sanjaasuren of Mongolia’s Civil Will Green Party, a letter expressing pride in her being named the 2015 Jeane J. Kirkpatrick Awardee for her “outstanding contributions to the advancement of women in politics and civil society”. CALD even noted that the award came just in time for CWGP’s 15th founding anniversary on 9 March, for which the Council sent its warmest congratulations.

“We believe that the strength of Mongolia’s democracy is, to a large extent, derived from the work of political parties like the CWGP,” CALD also wrote in part. “CWGP’s unwavering commitment to liberal values, even in the face of the pervasive influence of money politics and populist rhetoric in Mongolia, is truly remarkable and worthy of commendation.”

CALD gave recognition as well to Dr. Oyun’s “inspiring and visionary leadership” of CWGP, which she co-chairs. “We trust,” CALD said, “that under your stewardship, CWGP would become a stronger and more powerful voice for the cause of liberalism and democracy in Mongolia and beyond.”

As for CALD’s 14 September missive to former CALD Chair Chee Soon Juan of the Singapore Democratic Party, the Council said that the results of the 11 September parliamentary elections

On Renewable, Energy, Investment, and Economic Opportunities • Incentivize the transition from fossil fuels to renewable-energy resources while taking into consideration that least-developed countries need assistance in making this shift; • Develop affordable and increase access to alternative and climate-resilient energy sources with encouragement of investment in particular in bio-energy plants, and others such as solar and wind energy; and • Support the need to invest in climate-resilient or climate infrastructure, with active private-sector participation and innovation, to produce economic opportunities for sustainable growth.

in the nation-state “should be seen as a sign of resistance to (Singapore’s) flawed political and electoral system”.

“That the SDP, and the political opposition in general, was able to obtain very respectable results is proof that all is not lost for your country,” CALD told Chee. “The future of Singaporean democracy is in the hands of reform-oriented political parties like yours.”

“We are proud of what you have accomplished, and we encourage you to press on,” CALD wrote. “You can be rest assured that we in CALD will be with you in every step of the way.”

CALD finished its letter-writing for 2015 with two that were both dated 24 November and which crossed continents and seas to get to their recipients. One was addressed to MEP Hans van Baalen, congratulating him on his election as the new President of the ALDE Party. It also congratulated the party’s new Vice Presidents. Said CALD: “We are optimistic that through your leadership ALDE Party will make significant strides in addressing issues that take the interests of the European peoples into account, while remaining true to the values and practices that bind all of us as liberals.”

The recipient of the other 24 November letter was Sir Graham Watson of the Liberal Democrats (United Kingdom) and the immediate past president of the ALDE Party. As Watson stepped down from his ALDE post to address more pressing issues in his home country, CALD congratulated him for his successful leadership of the party, as well as to convey its “unwavering support and solidarity so that your aspiration of preserving the Europe that we know – a cohesive region built over the mantle of liberalism and democracy – would come into fruition”.

In addition, it thanked Watson, one of CALD’s most stalwart friends, for his “continuing assurance of the value of liberalism”.

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A liberal night of introspection IS liberalism still relevant? The answer to that, of course, is a resounding yes, but more often than not these days, liberalism and liberals seem out of tune with the times. A concerned Liberal International (LI) and CALD, with support from FNF, thus offered liberals attending the 132nd Assembly of the InterParliamentary Union in Hanoi in March a night for reflection on what it means to be a liberal today.

Held on the sidelines of the IPU event, the dinner reception on 27 March at Hanoi’s JW Marriott Hotel was actually an integral part of the consultation and reflection process set up by the LI President that aims to understand better the challenges faced by liberals and to come up with possible measures to address these. More specifically, the gathering was hoped to encourage liberals to match their words with action and strive to make their ideals into reality despite modern-day difficulties.

IPU Executive Vice President and Philippine Senate President Franklin Drilon hosted the dinner reception, which was attended by liberal parliamentarians from Belgium, Botswana, Cambodia, Canada, Cote d’Ivoire, Ireland, Lithuania, Malaysia, the Philippines, and South Africa. In his welcome address that focused on the event’s theme, “Liberalism in the 21st Century”, Drilon asked, “Liberalism is said to be the ideology of the 21st century, but why does it appear to be in retreat? If liberals can offer the best solutions to the problems confronting the world today, why are we losing elections to conservatives, populists, and ultranationalists?

What are we doing wrong, and how can we address this?”

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He then suggested that liberalism’s current crisis stems from the liberals’ inability to correct the misconceptions about liberalism, particularly in relation to its approach to the economy.

“The problem is that we liberals have not been very aggressive in answering the accusations against us, despite our knowledge of empirical evidence to the contrary,” said Drilon. “It is time that we liberals…face the criticisms against us, head-on. More importantly, we must practise what we preach, so we do not experience a crisis of credibility.”

Cambodian opposition MP Saumura Tioulong chaired the panel discussion that followed. She was joined by two legislators from Malaysia and South Africa, both of whom recounted the challenges their political parties faced as the liberal opposition in their respective countries. Saumura Tioulong, whose Cambodian National Rescue Party is a full member of LI and CALD, commented, “(Never) let hopelessness overwhelm you. There is always hope. And on that point, it is very important that networks like CALD and LI exist.”

“CALD and LI exist to connect and support liberals regionally and globally,” said CALD Executive Director Lito Arlegue. “Through events like this we hope to forge that bond among liberals, so they can be each other’s support system, especially in the face of continuing and emerging challenges to liberalism today.”

BULLETIN

A youthful approach to conflicts and climate change SPRING and the young go naturally together, so it only seemed fit for the International Federation of Liberal Youth to organize a series of activities in Vienna, Austria from 27 March to 5 April — just about the time when the winter frost usually lets trees start sprouting leaves again. Joining young liberals from all over the world was CALD Youth and Climate Change Programme and Administrative Officer Paul Rafael, who also happens to be a team member of the IFLRY Climate Change Programme. The general plan: to explore the role of young people as conflict transformers and to harness fresh ideas from the young on climate-change mitigation.

Co-organized with IFLRY Full Member Junge liberale NEOS (JUNOS), and with the support of the European Youth Foundation of the Council of Europe, the activities began with a five-day seminar called “You(th) in the <3 of Conflict Transformation #Mechanisms”. The seminar, which lasted from 28 March to 2 April, brought together some 35 participants and was aimed in part at developing practical approaches to conflict transformation vis-à-vis local contexts for follow-up local activities.

Arvid Plugge, seminar participant and International Officer from Jonge Democraten Leiden-Hagglanden of the Netherlands, would say later, “What happens when you put young people from different regions and

conflicts together? A break from the current dogma, and an understanding about what we actually care for: freedom, stability, and prosperity.”

The seminar’s first few days were spent on exhaustive but productive discussions designed to create and facilitate a deeper understanding of conflict and conflict transformation, as well as on learning different tools for conflict mapping and analysis. Serving as resource facilitators were IFLRY Belarus Programme Course Director Tanya Lyubimova, IFLRY Pool of Trainers Head Kjersti Brevik Moller, UK Liberal Youth International Officer Ab Brightman, IFLRY Assistant Jockum Nyberg, and IFLRY Vice President Danylo Korbabicz.

A short break mid-week had the group visiting the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) headquarters in Vienna. Then it was back to seminar nitty-gritty, and the participants were divided into groups to do conflict mapping and analysis on specific cases, among them the Southeast Asian maritime disputes. Group reports on the case studies, coupled with conflict solutions, were presented on the seminar’s last day. Participants also pitched follow-up activities and initiatives ranging from capacity-building seminars to communication and advocacy campaigns through

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social media, to cultural events as a means to further facilitate conflict transformation in key areas.

More young liberals from IFLRY member organizations soon arrived for IFLRY’s 38th General Assembly and Conference, also in Vienna. In the end, the conference – called “Climate Change – the Challenge of the 21st Century” – had some 100 delegates.

Stefan Schleicher, Professor at the Wagner Centre on Climate and Global Change of the University of Graz and consultant to the Austrian Institute of Economic Research, spoke on climate change vis-à-vis transitioning and transforming sustainable climate policies. Afterwards, Stefan Gara, ETA Environmental Management GmbH Managing Director, led a discussion on smart cities as the new agenda for energy and climate policy. He also presented the wide-range initiatives Vienna is undertaking in pursuit of this aim.

The conference delegates then took time to review the IFLRY Climate Change position paper. Remarked IFLRY President Christian Scharling: “IFLRY’s 38th General Assembly was yet another opportunity for the member organizations to hold the IFLRY leadership and themselves accountable to IFLRY’s vision and mission….Our Climate Change Conference was the highlight of the meeting that brought together over one hundred liberals from all regions of the world. It is important that we rally the liberal family to unite on climate policies ahead of Paris in December.”

CALD’s Rafael meanwhile said, “The status quo suggests a time where states, economies, institutions, and communities are challenged by global problems – such as ongoing conflicts and the adverse impacts of climate change. As liberals, we recognize that effective, progressive, and sustainable solutions are possible, and can be achieved through dialogue and cooperation.”

“CALD as regional member organization believes that IFLRY serves as an ideal platform for the international liberal youth community to collectively discuss these issues and decide upon best ways and strategies to approach,” he added. Through activities like these the Asian liberal youth can be represented and be heard worldwide.”

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Keeping an eye on mainland Southeast Asia IT was busy with its own activities in Kuala Lumpur while the 26th ASEAN Summit was going on in Malaysia, but that didn’t stop CALD from taking note of developments among the ASEAN leaders, as well as in the member countries of the regional grouping. And so when the CALD Executive Committee convened on 25 April in the Malaysian capital, it was no surprise that, among other things, it ended up adopting a statement on Cambodia and a resolution on Thailand.

CALD Statement No. 1 S. 2015 congratulated Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen and Minority Leader Sam Rainsy – who are usually at loggerheads with each other — for ushering a “culture of dialogue” between them in the greater interest of the Cambodian people. After all, the two leaders had jointly hosted an event for almost 300 Cambodian migrant workers in Malaysia in the afternoon of 25 April. The gathering not only provided the migrant workers some rest, it also gave them an opportunity to raise their concerns as foreign workers – some of them undocumented – in Malaysia.

In its statement, CALD welcomed “the example being shown by Prime Minister Hun Sen and Sam Rainsy as they work together to promote public interest”. It also said, “This serves as an inspiration to political leaders from all affiliations in Asia and the rest of the world.”

“The Prime Minister and I want to show that the culture of dialogue works in all circumstances even when we happen to be abroad together,” said Sam Rainsy, a

former chair of CALD. “Respectively as prime minister and as opposition leader, we continue to respect each other and to promote national unity by working together for the sake of the nation. It is our hope to see this culture of dialogue also prevail in all friendly countries as evidence of a mature democracy.”

CALD Resolution No. 1 S. 2015 meanwhile called for a nationwide referendum on the draft of Thailand’s new constitution, as well as for ASEAN leaders attending grouping’s 26th Summit “to push the Thai leadership to come up with a clear roadmap to democracy that manifests commitment to return to power to the people as soon as possible”.

Thailand, which has an on-and-off history of being under its armed forces, is currently in yet another period of military rule after a coup in May 2014. A new constitution has been drafted to replace the one annulled by the military takeover.

In its resolution, CALD said that it “strongly” believed that “the new constitution, in both process and substance, must be accepted by the people through a nationwide referendum; anything less might trigger a new vicious cycle of street demonstrations and military interventions which adversely affects Thailand’s democratic stability”.

CALD Youth elects new officials IT seemed like only yesterday that CALD Youth elected a fresh set of officers, but it turned out that the top officials of CALD’s youth wing had already served their full two-year terms. On 25 April, CALD Youth thus held its leadership elections and turnover ceremonies in Kuala Lumpur, on the sidelines of the CALD conference on the ASEAN Community.

Present were youth representatives from member parties Civil Will Green Party of Mongolia, Liberal Party of the Philippines, Democratic Progressive Party of Taiwan, and Democrat Party of Thailand, as well as from observer party National League of Democracy of Myanmar. Paul Rafael and Jorgia Salonga of the CALD Youth Secretariat presided over the meeting.

Of the youth nominees sent by CALD member parties, Bulgan Bayasgalant of CWGP and Kashane Wangpatravanich of DP accepted the nominations. After the votes were lodged, Bulgan was proclaimed CALD Youth Chair and Kashane Secretary General.

“Youth is the spirit of adventure and awakening,” said Bulgan, who was CALD Youth’s immediate past Secretary General. “The Asian youth are everywhere across the continent, initiating and leading movements followed by millions…attempting to build a better future. However, this spirit and energy will not last long, Humankind, therefore, need to make the best out of their youth. That, too, is my very reason to lead CALD Youth for the next two years.”

Kashane, for his part, said, “As the new Secretary General, I plan to continue with CALD Youth’s active work with climate change, and follow up on issues affecting critical areas across the region. Also, to develop and consolidate a plan that emphasizes the critical need to decrease global carbon emissions. I hope that we make our voices heard and (make an) impact on the global stage in time.”

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CALD Youth participates in COP21 IT was a given that CALD was going to Paris for COP21, and that meant even its youth wing would be there as well. As a regional member of the International Federation of Liberal Youth, CALD Youth can represent the Asian region in special events that IFLRY has access to – like COP21.

Earlier in June, CALD Youth had prepared for the Paris meeting though a successful climate-change conference in Cambodia, in cooperation with IFLRY and with FNF support. Thus, among the members of the IFLRY delegation to COP21, which was held from 30 November to 11 December, was a Filipino from CALD Youth, Francis Miguel Panday.

In many ways, the young liberals that made up the IFLRY delegation mirrored the makeup of the participating nations in the conference.

They brought with them knowledge in a variety of fields and sectors, which helped them contribute to the debate on what should be an ambitious but realistic target to address the global temperature increase.

From two degrees Celsius, the Least Developed Countries (LDCs), Small Island Developing States (SIDS), and all the other nations most vulnerable to the impact of

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climate change lobbied together with civil-society organizations and the youth for a goal of 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.

The 1.5-degrees limit is considered to be a safer line of defence against the worst effects of climate change.

held high,” said French Foreign Minister and COP21 President Laurent Fabius. “Our collective effort is worth more than the sum of our individual efforts.

Our responsibility to history is immense.”

For the entire run of the conference, the IFLRY delegation made sure they were always up to date with the negotiations and developments on the text of the agreement. On the sidelines, the IFLRY team attended special meetings and press conferences.

There were meetings with the UN Youth Constituency (YOUNGO), and briefings from Canadian, Norwegian, Ukrainian, Philippine, and Dutch official delegations. The IFLRY delegation members also constantly posted updates on social media to help their respective networks be informed about what was going on at the conference.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon, speaking after the signing of the agreement, declared, “We have entered a new era of global cooperation on one of the most complex issues ever to confront humanity. For the first time, every country in the world has pledged to curb emissions, strengthen resilience, and join in common cause to take common climate action.”

When the Paris Agreement was finalized, its main aim came to be keeping the global rise this century well below two degrees Celsius, with a further commitment to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.

“The Paris Agreement allows each delegation and group of countries to go back home with their heads

Yet while the Agreement was greeted with joy, most knew that it was just the positive beginning of a greater and more difficult challenge ahead.

“Our work is clearly not done,” said CALD Youth’s Panday. “We must continue fighting for justice, for solutions, and for peace. The Paris Agreement alone cannot save the planet, but people will.”

CALD participates in more global liberal reflection MEXICO City is thousands of miles from Manila, but there was no stopping CALD from attending the 60th Congress of Liberal International being held in the Mexican capital from 28 October to 1 November. Representing CALD at the Congress, which had the familiar “Liberalism in the 21st Century” theme, was CALD Executive Director Lito Arlegue, who would later express “great pleasure” at being able to participate in the continuing global reflection on liberalism and its place in modern times.

The Congress, though, was also part of an ongoing process of consultation and dialogue initiated by the LI leadership in preparation for the writing of a renewed LI Manifesto at the international federation’s 70th anniversary in 2017. The official programme began on 29 October with parallel fringe meetings on violence against women and the secular state organized by the International Network of Liberal Women (INLW) and Partido Liberal de Chile, respectively. This was followed by the interactive report of the LI Secretary General and the LI Executive Committee Administrative Session where updates on LI activities, member applications, and other administrative issues were taken up. A gala dinner hosted by Caminos de la Libertad in Convento San Hipolito at the centre of Mexico City ended the day.

The actual Congress took place on 30 and 31 October. Opening the event were remarks from LI President Juli Minoves, Red Liberal de America Latina (RELIAL)

President Ricardo Lopez-Murphy, Nueva Alianza (Mexico) President Luis Castro Obregon, and FNF Deputy Chairman Karl-Heinz Paque. Next came a panel discussion on populism, with LI Deputy President and Western Cape, South Africa Premier Helen Zille delivering the keynote address.

“Is it possible,” asked Zille in her speech, “for emerging democracies to escape the trappings of populism?” But instead of providing a straightforward answer to the query, she argued that liberals should focus on improving the lives of people and making opportunities available to them. Said Zille: “There is no use to just talk about freedom – people have to see that freedom can be used to improve their lives.”

In the afternoon of 30 October, parallel sessions on migration and women participation in politics were held. There was also the ALN-CALD-RELIAL-LI-FNF Coordination Meeting, where the CALD Executive Director was able to meet his counterparts in Africa (Africa Liberal Network, or ALN) and Latin America (RELIAL). These were agreed upon at the coordination meeting: (1) regional networks may meet on a regular basis on the sidelines of LI or of the respective regional network’s events; (2) greater coordination should be observed in planning the activities of regional networks; and (3) a strategic planning among regional networks should be explored.

Dinner that evening was hosted by Nueva Alianza in Restaurant San Fernando.

The Congress’s second and last day began with a breakfast discussion on the 2016 U.S. elections, with former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean, a member of the National Democratic Institute (NDI) Governing Board. This was followed by keynote speeches of liberal leaders from Paraguay, Democratic Republic of Congo, Taiwan, Morocco, and the United Kingdom on their “vision of liberalism” in their respective countries and regions. Then President of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE) Party Graham Watson put it best: “The voice of liberalism is not always alive and well, but it does not rest until it finds its echoes everywhere.”

Three equally interesting parallel sessions on human rights in developing democracies, civil liberties in Latin America, and the international drugs trade then took place.

After lunches organized by FNF and ALDE, the youth wing of Nueva Alianza had a session on youth participation in politics. Next up was the Congress Administrative Session where resolutions were adopted.

A farewell cocktail reception was held at Museo de Arte Popular, where LI President Minoves closed the Congress with his speech “Liberal International Ahead of Its 70th Anniversary”.

Remarked CALD’s Arlegue afterwards: “The diversity of issues and opinion tacked in the event proved that the liberal spirit is alive and well, and that liberalism remains a potent ideology in the 21st century and beyond.”

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Envisioning APEC of the Future CALD always has a steady eye on the present, but it also likes to think ahead – sometimes way, way ahead. Even before world leaders talked shop at Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) 2015 summit in Manila, for instance, CALD had already held a mini-conference called “The World in 2039: APEC 50 Years Hence”.

The APEC Summit took place on 18 and 19 November and had four talking points in its agenda: Investing in Human Capital Development; Fostering Small and Medium Enterprises’ Participation in Regional and Global Markets; Building Sustainable and Resilient Communities; and Enhancing the Regional Economic Integration Agenda.

CALD, meanwhile, partnered with Trade Advisors and RockEd Philippines to have its event on 16 November in Makati City, Metro Manila. Trade Advisors is a multi-disciplinary consulting firm that specializes in international and regional economic integration; RockEd is a nongovernment organization that is focused on alternative education.

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(Both Trade Advisors and RockEd are based in Manila.)

The CALD event aimed to discuss how decisions made today would affect not only the integration and cooperation of economies, but also how people from various sectors interact to create integrated and sustainable economies of the future. RockEd’s Gang Badoy acted as facilitator while panelists representing different fields fully engaged with each other and with the audience on how APEC could be used as a tool to foster sustainable and equitable development. Among the resource persons were Tony Abad of Trade Advisors (economics), Herminio Bagro III of the Philippine Presidential Management Staff (youth and government), Edmund Tayao of the University of Sto. Tomas (politics and the academe), Francis de Veyra of De La Salle-College of St. Benilde (arts and music) and Phil Fullon of Global Footprint Network (environment).

During the panel discussion, Fullon emphasized that climate change is a major consideration that would shape and reshape APEC’s agenda in the future. This point was supported

by Bagro, who also noted that the Philippines as host of the 2015 APEC Summit chose to highlight the effects of climate change to economies.

The Philippines ranks among the 10 countries that are most vulnerable to climate change.

Tayao meanwhile said that APEC’s discussions on trade should be done side by side with those on security.

Trade and security, he argued, cannot be separated. According to Tayao, this is apparent in the proposed statement on the 13 November Paris terror attacks that APEC leaders were expected to adopt at the summit’s conclusion of the summit.

De Veyra enriched the discussions by sharing his thoughts on possible trends in arts and music that, he said, reflect the political, economic, and social realities in APEC economies.

The CALD event ended with the poetry of Jourdan Sebastian, whose piece “Believe” captured the optimism the participants had on the prospects of APEC in building inclusive and sustainable economies.

Liberal, green gatherings in Paris

TO be liberal is to be green, so CALD made sure to be present at the 2015 UN Climate Change Conference, better known as COP21, which took place in Paris from 30 November to 11 December. In fact, CALD even teamed up with Liberal International and the International Federation of Liberal Youth to organize a seminar, “COP21 and the Liberal Agenda”, at the Conference site on 6 December.

The seminar — which was held at the Moroccan Pavilion at the COP21 venue as a nod to COP22 that will be held in 2017 in Marrakech, Morocco – also discussed the role of the youth and civil society in addressing climate change. CALD Executive Director Lito Arlegue and LI Secretary General Emil Kirjas gave the welcome remarks, along with IFLRY Climate Change Programme Manager Tone Bjorndal. But the heart of the event was a panel discussion chaired by Bjorndal and which had Philippine Presidential Adviser on Environmental Protection and CALD Climate Change Committee Head Neric Acosta, Thai COP21 delegation

member and former MP Monthip Sriratana-Tabucanon, and Special Adviser to the Environment Minister of Morocco Omar Zemrag as resource persons.

Seminar participants noted how the CALD Climate Change Statement for COP21 and the broader CALD Climate Change Statement, could be incorporated in the LI Manifesto of 2017. Secretary Acosta and Dr. Monthip were also invited to join LI Vice President on the Bureau and Moroccan Environment Minister Hakime El Haite in pushing for climate change as an LI priority area. In truth, it was on the initiative of Minister El Haite that there came to liberal coordination events at the Moroccan Pavilion, where there was also a scheduled consultative meeting among CALD, LI, and IFLRY on 7 December.

After the seminar, CALD hosted a dinner at the Pullman Hotel Paris where El Haite shared her thoughts on the next steps after COP21. She said in her speech, “We need to be courageous and responsible, and show solidarity and generosity, and finally, love. In Marrakech COP22 will focus on implementing the

agreement we will conclude here in Paris. This fight will not end with our generation.”

The green army of advocates, though, did gain some ground in Paris. COP21 saw a landmark new deal, and all 195 countries committed, among others, to cut greenhouse-gas emissions to a level that would limit the global temperature increase “well below” two degrees Centigrade (3.6 Fahrenheit). “’Historic’” does not quite begin to describe the world’s adoption of the Paris Agreement,” said Secretary Acosta. “But for every negotiator, diplomat, official, activist, businessman, youth, and citizen of the planet, this is a dramatic turning of that consequential new leaf together. Yet the book and story of climate action, and justice, and a ‘decarbonized’ new future for the world will still have to be written – by all.”

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Revisiting the Responsibility to Protect principle TEN years after the adoption of the principle of the Responsibility to Protect, the mass atrocities that it was supposed to help limit, if not stop, continue to take place all over the world. On 10 December, International Human Rights Day, CALD took time to join the Liberal International Human Rights Committee’s seminar in the European Parliament on the future of the principle, which is also known as R2P. Coinciding with CALD’s 22nd founding anniversary, the seminar in Brussels brought together liberal parliamentarians, diplomats, civil-society representatives and human-rights practitioners to discuss the growing challenges and misconceptions attached to the R2P’s implementation.

In a nutshell, R2P says that while states are accountable for the welfare of their people, the international community should not only encourage and assist states in carrying out this responsibility, but should also be prepared to use collective action to protect populations.

Representing CALD at the event were Executive Director Lito Arlegue and Senior Programme Officer Paolo Zamora.

In his opening remarks at the seminar, LI Vice President on the Bureau and HRC Chairman Markus Loning said, “We need to identify where liberals can act. There are great challenges ahead of us and we need to improve the system of R2P in the face of growing failures on the part of the UN Security Council to evoke the principle in situations where there are mass atrocities against innocent civilians.”

The first of two panel discussions in the programme focused on the recent cases of Ukraine and Syria and the implications of R2P’s application (or more correctly, non-application) there. The International Coalition for R2P’s Angela Patnode argued that there is in fact institutional evidence that R2P is thriving despite criticism, while LI HRC member and Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe Party Vice President and MEP Ilhan Kyuchyuk warned that R2P has a problem of selectivity that goes beyond Syria and Ukraine. MP Khodr Habib (Future Movement, Lebanon) meanwhile noted the need to agree on a sustainable, long-term plan on resolving the crisis in Syria. Former Ukraine Defence Minister Anatolyi Grytsenko, for his part, reminded the seminar participants that Ukraine had reached a point of no return; while sanctions have helped, he said, strong leadership remains key to Ukraine’s survival.

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Panel Discussion Two, which was chaired by Arlegue, looked more closely at the future of R2P and its various operational and conceptual hurdles. Natalia Sabanadze, Georgian Ambassador to the European Union, said that conceptually R2P is less contentious but the mobilization of resources for the prevention of human-rights abuses is difficult. “The logic of doing politics today is not conducive to prevention,” she remarked.

Jonas Claes of the United States Institute of Peace meantime stressed that apart from being a political tool, R2P is also a legal, tactical, and moral weapon. He noted, “One of the ways to strengthen R2P is to reflect on the right expectations. R2P does not equate military intervention as it is about preventive non-coercive actions.”

CALD’s Arlegue also shared his thoughts with the panel, discussing the prospects of R2P in the Asian context, especially given the goal of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to establish an ASEAN Community of caring societies.

The R2P seminar, however, was not the only item on CALD’s Brussels agenda. Prior to the LI HRC seminar, Arlegue and Zamora met with CALD’s Brussels-based partners, ALDE Group and ALDE Party. The discussions with the ALDE Group centred on the preparations for the 7th ALDE-CALD Summit scheduled to take place in Brussels in June 2016. The meeting with ALDE Party concentrated on the status of liberal political parties in Asia and Europe, as well as on operational best practices from which both organizations can learn. In addition, CALD met briefly with the European Liberal Forum to discuss possible collaborative programmes in the future.

“This set of meetings provided valuable knowledge-sharing and networking opportunities with our partners in the international liberal community,” said Arlegue. “Through these meetings, we were able to update fellow liberals on the state of liberalism and liberal political parties in Asia, and we were able to learn from their instructive experiences as well. It is our hope that this interchange of information and experiences will be helpful in further strengthening liberalism and democracy in our respective parts of the world.”

SPEAKERS & SESSION CHAIRS CALD Youth Climate Change Summit: Translating Ideas into Action – Youth Leadership for Climate Change 4 – 8 February 2015 Manila, Bataan Philippines Acosta, Neric Head, CALD Climate Change Committee Philippine Presidential Adviser for Environmental Protection General Manager, Laguna Lake Development Authority Arlegue, Celito Executive Director Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats Au, Nok-hin Democratic Party of Hong Kong Badoy-Capati, Therese “Gang” Founder, RockEd Philippines Cordero, Lesley Undersecretary, Office of the Presidential Assistant for Rehabilitation and Recovery Philippines Dantes, Dingdong Commissioner-a-large National Youth Commission Philippines

Payumo, Felicito Former Chairman and Administrator Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority Bases Conversion Development Authority Former Congressman First District of Bataan Yuson, Zak Founder, MovePH Rappler

5th CALD Party Management Workshop 2015: Project 2015: Winning Elections Towards Continuing Reforms 11 – 13 of March 2015 Yangon, Myanmar/Burma Asis, Concepcion Over-all Workshop Facilitator/ Resource Person Former Director General Liberal Party of Philippines Banico, Francis Rafael Project Officer Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats Oo, Tin Chairman National League for Democracy

Garcia III, Jose Enrique ‘Joet’ Mayor, Balanga City, Bataan

Panday, Francis Miguel Project Assistant Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats

Maaten, Jules Country Director, Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom Philippines

Pritchard, Ashley Head of Mission Friedrich Naumann Foundation Myanmar Ramirez, Lambert Co-Facilitator Liberal Party of Philippines

8th CALD Communications workshop: Political Communication, Elections and Governance 13 – 16 March 2015 | Metro Manila, Philippines Abaya, Joseph Emilio “Jun” Acting President and Executive Vice President, Liberal Party of the Philippines Secretary (Minister) of Transportation and Communication, Philippines Acosta, J.R. Nereus “Neric” Former Secretary General, Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats Presidential Adviser for Environmental Protection, Office of the President of the Philippines Arlegue, Celito Executive Director Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats Co, Jan Mikael DL Assistant Secretary for Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning (PCDSP) Office of the President of the Philippines Manhit, Victor Andres “Dindo” CEO and Managing Director Stratbase Advisory and Research Consultancy Group Philippines Moakes, Jonathan Workshop Facilitator Special Advisor and Former Chief Executive Officer Democratic Alliance, South Africa

Santos, Samuel Head of Office, Print Media Service Public Relations and Information Bureau (PRIB Senate of the Philippines Zunduisuren, Gan-Ochir Head, Foreign Relations Civil Will Green Party Mongolia

CALD Conference 2015 and CALD Executive Committee Meeting 24-27 April 2015 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Aung, Myo Member of Parliament Member, Central Executive Committee National League for Democracy of Myanmar (Burma) Bayasgalant, Bulgan Secretary General, CALD Youth Balaguru, Jayanthi Devi Vice Chairperson, CALD Women’s Caucus Parti Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia Chee, Soon Juan Secretary General Singapore Democratic Party Chhay, Son Member of Parliament Founding Member, ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights Cambodia National Rescue Party Go, Jaslyn International Liaison Singapore Democratic Party

CALD 2015 | 51

Ho, Mark Democratic Progressive Party of Taiwan

Piromya, Kasit Former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Thailand Democrat Party of Thailand

Zamora, Maricar Member of the Philippine House of Representatives Liberal Party of the Philippines

Huang, James Former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Taiwan Director, Department of International Affairs, Democratic Progressive Party of Taiwan

Putri, Vera Jasini Programme Manager, Malaysia Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom

Zunduisuren, Gan-Ochir Head, Foreign Relations Civil Will Green Party of Mongolia

Jan, Wan Saiful Wan Founding Chief Executive Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs (IDEAS), Malaysia

Sambuu, Demberel Member of Parliament Secretary General, Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats Co-Chair, Civil Will Green Party of Mongolia

CALD Climate Change Summit: Preparing for COP21 - Asian Perspective on Climate Change

Lim, Thuang Seng Former State Assemblyman, Selangor Central Committee Member, Parti Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia

Sittheamorn, Kiat Deputy Leader, Foreign Affairs and Economics Democrat Party of Thailand

Mah, Siew Keong Minister in the Malaysian Prime Minister’s Department President, Parti Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia Manalo, Rosario Manalo Special Representative ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights, Philippines Maaten, Jules Country Director, Philippine Office Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom Meng, Liang Teck National Secretary General Parti Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia Ng, Yeen Seen Chief Operating Officer Asian Strategy and Leadership Institute Parti Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia Osman, Ratna Executive Director, Sisters In Islam Malaysia

52 | above&beyond

Sochua, Mu Member of Parliament Chairperson, CALD Women’s Caucus Cambodia National Rescue Party Tan, John Vice Chairperson Singapore Democratic Party Tioulong, Saumura Member of Parliament Vice-Chairperson, Committee on Foreign Affairs Cambodia National Assembly Cambodia National Rescue Party

12 – 16 June 2015 | Sihanoukville, Phnom Penh Cambodia Arlegue, Celito Executive Director Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats Bjorndal, Tone Programme Manager, Climate Change Programme International Federation of Liberal Youth Chi-fung, “Teddy” Hui District Council Member Democratic Party of Hong Kong Nyamdavaa, Monsor Vice President, Civil Will Green Party Youth Association Civil Will Green Party

Weng, Chin Fook Member of the Board of Governors Wawasan Open University

Phirum, Keo Member of Parliament Cambodia National Rescue Party

Wijesinha, Rajiva Member of Parliament Leader, Liberal Party of Sri Lanka

Rafael, Paul Team Member, IFLRY Climate Change Programme Program and Administrative Officer for Youth and Climate Change Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats

Yuen, Ramon Honorary Treasurer Democratic Party of Hong Kong

Rainsy, Sam Minority Leader, Cambodia National Assembly President, Cambodia National Rescue Party Former Chairperson, Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats Sovann, Yim Member of Parliament Cambodia National Rescue Party Srirantana-Tabucanon, Monthip Member, CALD Climate Change Committee Recipient, 2009 Asian Environmental Compliance and Enforcement Network (ACEN) Award Former Member of Parliament, Democrat Party, Thailand Tioulong, Saumura Member of the Cambodian National Assembly Cambodia National Rescue Party UN Office for DRR Parliamentary Champion 2012 – 2014 Member, UNISDR Advisory Group of Parliamentarians for DRR Wangpatravanich, Kashane Secretary General CALD Youth Democrat Party of Thailand

CALD Conference on SDGs, CALD Women’s Caucus Seminar & CALD Executive Committee Meeting 6 – 10 November 2015 Ulanbaatar, Mongolia Abas, Damanhuri Bin 2015 Parliamentary Election Candidate Singapore Democratic Party

Acosta, Neric Presidential Adviser on Environmental Protection, Office of the President of the Philippines Head, CALD Climate Change Committee

Huang, James Former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Taiwan Director, Department of International Affairs, Democratic Progressive Party, Taiwan

Badoy Capati, Gang www.polimetrics.net www.rockedphilippines.org

Jäätteenmäki, Anneli Vice President of the European Parliament Former Prime Minister of Finland Member, Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe Group

Balaguru, Jayanthi Devi Vice Chairperson, CALD Women’s Caucus Parti Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia Battsereg, Namdag Minister of Environment and Green Development, Mongolia Ching-Yi, Lin Director, Department of Women’s Affairs Democratic Progressive Party, Taiwan de Saint Genois, Christine Vice President, International Network of Liberal Women, France Jargalsailhan Women’s Caucus Civil Will Green Party, Mongolia Fotiou, Stefanos Head of Unit, “Cities and Lifestyles” United Nations Environmental Program Garchitorena, Victoria Former Vice President for Women Liberal Party of the Philippines Hanniatunisa, Siti Deputy Head, Nation Awakening Party, Indonesia Herzog, Siegfried Regional Director, Southeast and East Asia Office Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom, Thailand

Kem, Monovithya Member of Permanent Bureau & Deputy Director for Public Affairs, Cambodia National Rescue Party on behalf of CALD Women’s Caucus Chair Mu Sochua Kirjas, Emil Secretary General, Liberal International, Macedonia Kleine-Brockhof, Moritz Resident Representative, Indonesia Office Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom Maaten, Jules Country Director, Philippine Office Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom Nicolai, Norica Vice President and Member Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe Group, Romania

Salim, Jufri Member of Central Executive Committee Singapore Democratic Party Sambuu, Demberel Secretary General, Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats Co-Chairperson, Civil Will Green Party, Mongolia Sanjaasuren, Oyun Chairperson, Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats President, United Nations Environment Assembly Co-Chairperson, Civil Will Green Party, Mongolia Setiawan, Hanjaya Secretary of Government Affairs Department Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle Sin, Chung Kai Legislative Councilor, Hong Kong Individual Member, Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats Sittheamorn, Kiat Deputy Leader, Foreign Affairs and Economics Democrat Party, Thailand Tarapoom, Pongsri Registrar, Democrat Party, Thailand Tserendorj, Gankhuyag Co-Chairperson, Civil Will Green Party, Mongolia

Prugsamatz, Raphaella Communication Officer, Southeast and East Asia Office Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom, Thailand

Tupas, Niel Chairperson, Committee on Justice, Philippine House of Representatives Liberal Party of the Philippines

Rainsy, Sam Minority Leader, Cambodian National Assembly President, Cambodia National Rescue Party

Zunduisuren, Gan-ochir Head, Foreign Relations Civil Will Green Party, Mongolia

CALD 2015 | 53

MEMBER PARTIES Democrat Party of Thailand

Contact Kiat Sittheamorn Chairperson, Foreign Affairs Committee 67 Setsiri Road, Samsannai Phayathai, Bangkok 100400, Thailand T: +66 0 2270 0036 F: +66 02279 6086 public@democrat.or.th www.democrat.or.th

The Democrat Party, founded in 1946, is the oldest political party in Thailand, and is one of the oldest in Southeast Asia as well. Since its inception over 60 years ago, the Democrat Party has held ideologies that oppose all forms of dictatorship, and is committed to the promotion of democracy for the people, and most importantly by the people.

The survival and existence of the DP has not come easily.

The Party had to go through political struggles throughout its history that has four periods: 1st Period (1946-1967) Party Building, Pro-Democracy and Anti-Dictatorship 2nd Period (1968-1979) Party Rehabilitation and Democracy Promotion 3rd Period (1979-1990) Policy Improvement and Participation in National Administration

4th Period (1991-Present) Leading Party of Opposition and Coalition Government Introducing the People’s Agenda Throughout its history, the DP has always stood firm on the principles of democracy, freedom, transparency, accountability and public participation. These principles, stipulated in the Party Guidelines have guided the Party in the last six decades, and will continue to guide it for many years and generations to come.

Agenda, the Party has been able to steer national development toward a new direction. It uses the idea of “policy for the people, and by the people”, which highlights the point that “People must come first”. The Party has assured the inclusiveness of its socio-economic policy and measures. Programs such as 15 years of free education, income-guarantee initiative for farming population, debt relief and access to micro-credits, and social and health security scheme had been launched when they were in government.

Under the leadership and guidance of Mr. Abhisit Vejjajiva and the Executive Committee, DP aims to provide the Thai public with a viable responsible political alternative to the populist political environment that has been permeating the Thai atmosphere since 2001.

Through various schemes and measures implemented since 2008, especially the People’s

Leaders

and the further realization of Taiwan’s democracy. At the same time, DPP gained valuable experience and lessons as a young party during its eight years of governance.

meant Dr. Tsai would become Taiwan’s first female president.

Abhisit Vejjajiva Leader Chalermchai Sri-on Secretary General Chavanond Intarakomalyasut Spokesperson

Democratic Progressive Party The Democratic Progressive Party of Taiwan (DPP) was founded on 28 September 1986 by political, social, and human-rights activists, along with defence lawyers of political prisoners. It was then Martial Law, and Taiwan was under the authoritarian regime of Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT), which had fled to the island in 1949 after losing the Chinese Civil War.

Contact James Huang Director of Department of International Affairs 10F, No 30, Beiping, East Road, Taipei, Taiwan T: +866 2 23929989 F: +866 2 23930342

54 | above&beyond

Through social, political movements, and participation in elections, the founders of DPP risked their freedom and their lives to champion for a democratic Taiwan.

Indeed, DPP would play an imperative and crucial role in Taiwan’s liberalization and the consolidation of Taiwan’s democracy.

In 2000, DPP captured the presidency, and Taiwan experienced its first transition of political power. From 2000 to 2008, DPP continued to push for freedom of expression, gender equality, social and transitional justice, judicial impartiality, farmers’ and workers’ rights,

In 2014, DPP won Taiwan’s nine-in-one elections -- the largest local polls in Taiwan’s democratic political history -- by a landslide. DPP took 13 out of the 22 cities and counties, including four out of six special municipalities. The election was DPP’s best election showing yet since its founding. Currently, more than 70 percent of Taiwan’s population reside under a DPP governing city or county.

In January 2016, under the leadership of its Chairperson Dr. Tsai Ing-wen, the party won a majority in the Legislative Yuan, clinching 68 of the 113 seats. This was the first time in Taiwan’s political history that the legislature experienced a political transition. Dr. Tsai, DPP’s standard bearer in the elections, and her running mate Dr. Chen Chien-jen meanwhile garnered 6.89 million votes or 56.1 percent of the total. This

The year 2016 actually marks the 30th anniversary of the party’s founding. DPP plans to further deepen Taiwan’s democracy and safeguard Taiwan’s democratic institutions for the Taiwanese people.

Internationally, DPP continues to promote and strengthen the principles of democracy, advocate for human rights and good governance through close alliances with democratic countries around the world.

DPP is a founding member of CALD and member of Liberal International.

Leaders Tsai Ing-wen Chairperson Joseph Wu Secretary General

Liberal Party of the Philippines The Liberal Party (LP) was founded on January 19 1946

by Manuel Roxas from what was once the “Liberal Wing” of the old Nacionalista Party.

Two previous Presidents of the Philippines elected into office came from the LP: former President Elpidio Quirino and former President Diosdado Macapagal. Two other Presidents came from the ranks of the LP, being former members of the Party that chose to follow a different path and joined the Nacionalistas: Ramon Magsaysay and Ferdinand Marcos.

Contact Josephine “Nene” Sato Director General, Liberal Party of the Philippines Stephen Roy Cruz Deputy Director General for Admin & Finance crux.stephen@gmail.com scruz@liberalparty.org.ph M: +639175421883 Liberal Party of the Philippines T: +63 2 709 3826 T: +63 2 709 3817 M: +63 917 533 8452 M: +63 999 888 9482 F: +63 2 709 3829 www.liberalparty.org.ph

During the days leading to Martial rule, Marcos would find his old Party as a potent roadblock to his quest for one-man rule. Led by Ninoy Aquino, Gerry Roxas, and Jovito Salonga, the LP, continued to fight the dictatorship at all cost. Many of its leaders and members were prosecuted and even killed during this time.

In recent times, the LP was instrumental in ending more than half-a-century US military in the Philippines with its campaign in the Senate during 1991 to reject a new RP-US Bases Treaty. This ironically cost the Party dearly, losing the

elections of 1992. In 2000, it showed its mettle by standing against the corruption of the Estrada Administration, actively supporting the ResignImpeach-Oust initiatives that led to People Power II. In 2004, it again stood its ground as the Party withdrew its support from President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo following controversies of her election into office.

In 2009, the Party mounted a historic campaign for the 2010 elections with Senators Noynoy Aquino and Mar Roxas as frontrunners following the death of former President Corazon Aquino and widespread calls for genuine change in the country.

Leaders Benigno Aquino III Chairperson Franklin Drilon Vice Chairperson Feliciano Belmonte Jr. Vice Chairperson Joseph Emilio Abaya Executive President and Acting President

The LP has successfully reclaimed the national ruling party status with the momentous victory of President Noynoy Aquino in the last May 2010 national elections, together with majority of its allies in the House of Representatives and local government units

Parti Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia

Contact Carrie Choong Parti Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia carriechoong82@gmail.com Level 5, PGRM, No. 8 Jalan Pudu, Cheras, 56100, Kuala Lumpur Malaysia T: +60 3 9287 6868 F: +60 3 9287 8866 www.gerakan.org.my

Since it was founded in 1968, the Parti Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia (PGRM) has experienced growth and strength despite external challenges and internal problems. Through sincere leadership, pragmatic strategies, and non-communal approaches, PGRM obtained mass support to strive for an egalitarian united Malaysia, characterized by racial harmony, social justice, economic equity, political democracy, and cultural liberalism. PGRM’s receptivity to people’s criticisms and advices, and its sensitivity to their needs and aspirations are two major factors that contribute in making it a dynamic and resilient political force in Malaysia.

As Gerakan expands its organisational base, it will strive to harness greater influence at both the grassroots and

governmental levels. The Party will seek the partnership with the people based on the principle that: MALAYSIAN NATIONALISM is the most effective weapon to combat the root causes of communalism, extremism, religious fanaticism, and cultural chauvinism.

Leaders Mah Siew Keong National President Cheah Soon Hai Deputy President Liang Teck Meng Secretary General

The International Relations and Affairs Bureau under the leadership of Mr. Liang Teck Meng is to reflect the party’s commitment to playing a greater and more meaningful role in the international and regional political arena. Besides council meetings, members of the Bureau and members of Gerakan regularly participate in CALD conferences, workshops and other programs.

CALD 2015 | 55

Singapore Democratic Party

Contact Jaslyn Go International Liason 12A Jalan Gelanggang Singapore 578192 T: +65 6456 4532 F: +65 6463 4532 sdp@yoursdp.org www.yoursdp.org

The Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) was constituted in 1980. It believes in, and is working toward restoring human, civil, and political rights in Singapore; fostering a vibrant and dynamic society based on pluralism and diversity; cultivating a transparent and accountable political system; establishing an economic system based free competition and equal opportunity for all; removing all policies and practices that discriminate against the less fortunate, women, and minorities, and cooperating with democratic parties and organizations in Asia to achieve peace and sustainable development in the region.

It is the first opposition in Singapore to have a youth wing (Young Democrats)

and to deploy Internet as an alternative media. It uses blogging, political videos, and online forum to reach out to the people. The Central Executive Committee (CEC) governs the party with Mr. Jeffrey George as chairman and Chee Soon Juan its secretary-general

Leaders Chee Soon Juan Secretary General John Tan Vice Chairman

Party leaders and members have had to endure a series of government-orchestrated court cases, and even imprisonment, for exercising their fundamental rights to freedom of expression and assembly in the recent past.

During the 2011 general elections, the party garnered 36.8% of the valid votes in the constituencies it contested.

The SDP was touted to be the most “improved” opposition party, making the largest gain in the share of votes.

Liberal Party Sri Lanka

Contact Party Head Quarters No. 88/1, Rosmead Place, Colombo 7, Sri Lanka T: +940112691589 F: +940112691589 Leader Newton A Peiris drnewtonpeiris@gmail.com Vice President Dunston de Silva dunstan53@yahoo.com 5A, Kirimandala Mawatha, Colombo 05, Sri Lanka M: +94777412145 O:+94372225884 F:+94372224281 Secretary General M: +9400777 733347 kamaliberal@yahoo.com liberalparty-srilanka.org

56 | above&beyond

The Liberal Party began as a think tank called the ‘Council for Liberal Democracy’ the first institution to criticize the all-embracing statism of the colonial and immediate post-colonial periods. In espousing free economic policies together with wide-ranging political freedoms, the Council, and then the Liberal Party, opposed to both the authoritarian crony capitalism of the United National Party and the socialism of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party. Both major parties are now, in theory, in favor of wide freedoms, but to ensure that these are understood and entrenched, there is still need of coherent liberal activism.

2010 is a year of major elections for Sri Lanka, with the Presidential elections held in January. This made an effect that all parties rallied around either of the two main contenders. The Liberal Party continued to support then incumbent President Mahinda Rajapakse. After the victory at the parliamentary elections that followed in April, the party won a slot in the national list of the winning United Peoples Freedom Alliance Coalition and Prof. Rajiva Wijesinha was nominated as an MP from the national list after the election.

The Party has chaired the Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats in 2010, and the party has led delegations to meet with Aung

San Suu Kyi in Burma, as well as to meetings of the Liberal International, the Italian Alliance of Democrats and the Liberal Democrat Conference in Britain.

In Sri Lanka the Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats continued discussion with all the parties on reconciliation, and in 2011 Professor Rajiva was appointed Advisor on Reconcillation to the President, who also put him on the government team to negotiate with the Tamil National Alliance.

Liberal volunteers contribute to the Reconciliation website: www.peaceinsrilanka.org and the Youth Forum blog: www. reconcillationyouth forum. com. The United Kingdom membership tweets as UKLPSL and has a remarkable number of followers including the Australian Prime Minister. It helps to maintain Professor Wijesinha’s personal log, www. rajivawijesinha.word press.com.

The party contested a few local elections on its own in 2011, and was able to return two members to the Ridigama Pradeshiya Sabha in Kurunagala District.

Liberal Party of Sri Lanka held its annual congress on the 17th of December 2015 and following members were elected as office bearers in the national committee.

Leaders Newton A Peiris Leader Swarna Amaratunga President Kamal Nissanka Secretary General Newton Pieris National Organizer Nimal Ranjan Deputy Secretary General Dunstan De Silva Roshan Amararachchi Vice Presidents Rathnasiri Kottege Treasurer Ananda Stephen National Organizer

Cambodia National Rescue Party

Contact House #576, National Road N2, Sangkat Chakangres Leu, Khan Mean Chey, Phnom Penh, Cambodia T: +855 012 90 5775 T: +855 012 92 5171 srphqpp@gmail.com nationalrescueparty.org

The Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) is a Cambodian electoral alliance between the two main democratic opposition parties, the Sam Rainsy Party and the Human Rights Party.

It was founded in mid-2012 for the purpose of running together in the 2013 Cambodian general election. The Cambodia Democratic Movement of National Rescue, the transitional body ahead of the union, has established working groups to unite the two and is in the process of creating a joint national platform and common party policies. It is currently the second largest political party in Cambodia, after its rival the Cambodian People’s Party.

The CNRP won 44.46% of the total votes in the 2013 elections, accounting to 55 seats out of the 123 seats in Parliament.

Leaders

The party principles and values: are the rule of law and democracy, with social merit and harmonization, as well as mutual respect of interest in international affairs and neutrality of Cambodia.

The party believes in the strengthening of freedom and human rights, institution of free and fair elections, and defending Cambodia’s “national integrity”. Its official motto is “rescue, serve, protect.”

Kem Sokha Vice President

In April 2010, PDI Perjuangan held its third party congress in Bali, in which Hon. Megawati Soekarnoputri was re-elected as party chair-woman. The congress also solidified the party’s decision to become a major opposition to the government. In addition, the party restructured the organization in 33 provinces, over 500 districts, and more than 6,000 sub districts, down to the village level.

Leaders

Sam Rainsy President

Teng Deux Director, Department of International Relations Nuch Ramo Head Office, International Politics and Security Pok Marina Deputy Chief, Cabinet to the First Vice President of Cambodia National Assembly, Foreign Affairs

Indonesian Democratic Party Of Struggle

Contact Hanjaya Setiawan Department Head for International Affairs Partai Demokrasi Indonesia Perjuangan Jl. Raya Lenteng Agung No. 99, Jakarta Selatan, Indonesia T: +62 21 7806028 T: +62 21 7806032 F: +62 21 7814472 www.pdiperjuagan.or.id

The ideology of PDI Perjuangan (Partai Demokrasi Indonesia Perjuangan – Indonesia Democratic Party of Struggle) is based on Pancasila (Five principles) derived from the old indigenous Indonesian philosophy and way of life.

Pancasila reflects Indonesian nationalism, humanity and internationalism, democracy, social justice and belief in one God. PDI Perjuangan faces a constant challenge to become the uniting power of Indonesia and is always in the forefront of supporting social diversity in Indonesia. Equality among citizens is the basic foundation of its unity in diversity.

In the current Indonesian democracy, PDI Perjuangan plays its role to fulfill people and state sovereignty by strengthening democratic institutions, mechanisms, and political practices. It also aims for a self sufficient economy in the globalized era to bring prosperity and social welfare to the people. A nationalist party, PDI Perjuangan maintains a political strand for pluralism, social welfare, and the sovereignty of the people.

Megawati Soekarnoputri General Chairperson Tjahjo Kumolo Secretary General

PDI Perjuangan marked another glorious step towards the 2014 general elections when its candidate Joko Widodo, defeated the incumbent governor in the Jakarta gubernational election last 2012. He then ran and won the president elections in July 2014 with more than 53 percent of the votes garnered nationally, over rival Prabowo Subianto who garnered just less than 47 percent. PDIP won 19% of legislative votes in the parliamentary elections in April of the same year.

CALD 2015 | 57

Civil Will Green Party of Mongolia

Contact Gan-Ochir Zunduisuren International Officer Secretary of Foreign Relations Freedom Square Orange Plaza – 606 Chingeltei, District 15141, P.O Box – 90 Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia T: +97611319006 F: +97611319006 info@civilgreen.mn www.civilgreen.mn

58 | above&beyond

The Civil Will Party (CWP) the precursor of the current Civil Will Green Party (CWGP) was established on March 9, 2000 when Oyun Sanjaasuren was elected as the Chairman and Z. Narmandakh as the Secretary General. The party won their first seat in the parliamentary election that same year. In 2005, the CWP strengthened its activities by establishing the Civil Will Youth Wing and soon after this the CWP also structured the party to have their own senior, women youth and student organizations.

In January 2006, the special session of the Fourth National Convention was held and the CWP officially announced that it would work as the opposition in the Parliament. In 2009, the party formed a coalition with the Democratic Party for the presidential election which resulted in victory. Elbegdorj Tsakhia was elected and became the first democratic president of Mongolia.

The CWP consists of the following organizations: the National Convention which is gathered once in every four years; the National Committee which consists of 200 members gathered annually; the Political Council with 36 members gathered on monthly; and

the Monitoring Council consisting of 5 members. The main executive organization of the party is the Secretariat under the direct management of the Secretary General.

The municipal branches of the party operate at the grassroots level. There are 6 policy committees within the party that operate in the field of Budget and Finance, Education, Science and Culture, Legal Activities, Foreign Relations and Security.

After the 2012 election, the party obtained two seats in parliament and is now one of the junior partners in the government. In Grand National Coalition Government, established to address economic slowdown and to introduce major policy and legal reform, CWGP’s deputy chair M.Khurelsukh serves as Deputy Minister of Ministry of Environment and Green Development to continue policies and actions initiated by long time standing leader and party chairwoman Oyun Sanjaasuren, who is president of United Nations Environment Assembly, representing the Mongolian Government. In addition, the party obtained its first ever seat in Capital City Representative’s Council.

Leaders Oyun Sanjaasuren Co-chair Demberel Sambuu Co-chair Khuder-Yan Byambasuren Secretary General Enkhtuya Chuluunbaatar Acting Head of Secretariat

OBSERVER PARTIES National League for Democracy

Contact 97B West Shwegondaing Road, Bahan Township, Yangon, Myanmar T: +95 1 555 156 info.nldburma@gmail.com

National League for Democracy (NLD) is a Burmese political party founded on 27 September 1988. Its Chairperson is Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, Member of Parliament, Nobel Peace Prize laureate, and daughter of Aung San, a pivotal figure in the Burmese independence movement of the 1940s.

The NLD was formed in the aftermath of the 8888 Uprising, a series of protests in favour of democracy which took place in In August 8, 1998 and was ended when the military took control of the country through a coup.

However, the ruling military junta refused to recognize the result. On May 2010, the party was declared illegal by the junta after refusing to register for the elections in November 2010. The following year, NLD announced its intention to be a political party in order to contend future elections and on December 2011, Burma’s Union Election Commission approved their application for registration. In the 2012 by-elections, NLD won 43 seats out of the 44 seats it contested.

The party won a substantial parliamentary majority in the 1990 Burmese general election.

The party advocates a non-violent movement towards multi-party democracy in Burma, which had been under

The Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) was created in 1998, when reform-minded politicians fromvt a number of opposition parties came together with the aim of establishing a genuine opposition force capable of taking power from the longruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). Former Prime Ministers Tsutomu Hata and former party presidents Yukio Hatoyama and Naoto Kan, who both later served as Prime Minister, were

among those instrumental in establishing the new party.

The DPJ has since grown in size at successive elections.

It was further strengthened by a merger with the Liberal Party, led by Ichiro Ozawa, in 2003. In 2009, the party won a landslide election victory, bringing about an historic change of government. At present, the DPJ serves as an opposition party in the LDP-led government of Shinzo Abe.

military rule from 1962 to 2011. Furthermore, the party supports human rights (including broad-based freedom of speech), the rule of law, and national reconciliation.

The party flag has a peacock in it which is a prominent symbol of Burma; the Peacock was numerously featured a number of times in Burmese monarchic flags as well as other nationalist symbols in the country. It is also associated with decades-long democratic struggle against military dictatorship. The NLD party symbol is adopted from the Myanmar (Burmese) Student Union flag.

Democratic Party of Japan Contact DPJ International Department 1-11-1 Nagata-cho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-0014 Japan T: +81 3 3595 9988 F: +81 3 3595 7318 www.dpj.or.jp

ASSOCIATE MEMBER Liberal Forum Pakistan

Contact No S1, Second Floor, Rawal Arcade, F-8 Markaz, Islamabad, Pakistan F: +92 51 225 6458 T: +92 51 225 6459 info@lfp.org.pk www.lfp.org.pk

Liberal Forum Pakistan (LFP) is promoting liberal values in Pakistan’s polity by creating awareness about positive features of democracy, freedom, and secularism. It works toward these objectives by publishing and disseminating literature about liberalism throughout the country; and by holding consultations on related issues.

It also releases a bi-monthly magazine in Urdu that is the only regular publication covering liberal issues in South Asia.

LFP regularly organizes functions in all major urban centers and in places where it has active chapters.

The membership of the organization is open to all,

subject to approval by LFP’s Membership Committee; a chapter can be formed once it has twenty members. The overall supervision of the organization is in the hands of a Board of Directors that is headed by a Chairperson who is also the Chief Executive of the organization. The four provinces are headed by provincial presidents.

LFP also has a youth wing by the name of FYG (Future Youth Group), which holds activities similar to LFP amongst the younger segments of the population. LFP has a website that gives up-to-date information about liberal developments.

In 2010, LFP continued its movement to promote liberalism in Pakistan and expanded its membership to approximately 2,000 members who pay an annual fee and receive a bi-monthly magazine, Liberal Pakistan. Thirty-six chapters are currently functional throughout the country. During that year, LFP held seminars on topics ranging from opposing corruption to promoting liberal values, including good governance, secularism, and the right to information. These activities garnered publicity in the local media. LFP also spread its advocacy through publications on corruption and individual liberty

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INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS Abdurraham Wahid

H.E. Abdurrahman Wahid served as the fourth president of the world’s most populous Muslim nation, Indonesia, from 19992001. He was an important figure among religious groups and political movements during the restoration of freedom and democratic rights after 32 years of the Sochato dictatorship.

More popularly known as “Gus Dur,” he showed fellow Indonesians his lifetime

Martin C. M. Lee

Chung-Kai Sin

commitment to public service and the promotion of liberal democracy and staunchly defended human rights, ethnic minorities, and Indonesia’s secular tradition. Wahid headed the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), Indonesia’s largest Muslim organisation.

His position as a moral leader was transformed, however, when he and his supporters formed the National Awakening Party

(PKB) following the dramatic fall of President Soeharto.

He became the Chairman of its Advisory Council and its official presidential candidate in 1999. Though dominated

by NU members, Wahid promoted PKB as a party that is non-sectarian and open to all members of society.

Wahid passed away in 2009.

Martin C.M. Lee (Lee Chu Ming) is the founding chairman (1994 – 2002) of the Democratic Party, which is one of the largest and most popular political parties in Hong Kong. Prior to the founding of the Democratic Party in October 1994, Lee was chairman of the United Democrats of Hong Kong — Hong Kong’s first political party that won the first-ever democratic elections to the territory’s Legislative Council in 1991.

Since its establishment, the Democratic Party has committed efforts to advancing democracy and safeguarding human rights and the rule of law in Hong Kong. In 2008, the Democratic Party merged with another pan-democratic party The Frontier, and further strengthened its political influence in Hong Kong. Lee was also a popular elected Legislative Councillor from 1985 to 2008.

Contact

Mr. Chung-Kai Sin is an elected Legislative Councillor of Hong Kong serving a term of 4 years from Oct 2012 to Sep 2016. in is the Deputy Chairman of Democratic Party since 2006, and has served as a member of the Central Committee of Democratic Party of Hong Kong since the party was founded in 1994.

of the Housing Authority from 2001 to 2009 and a board of director Hong Kong Mortgage Corporation Limited from 1999 to 2009. He served as an elected representative at all three tiers of the Government – Legislative Council, Regional Council (abolished by the HKSAR Government in 1999) from 1988 to 1994 and the Kwai Tsing District Council from 1985 to 2003.

the Chinese University of Hong Kong in 1997. Chung Kai is a life and fellow member of the Hong Kong Computer Society.

Mr. Chung-Kai Sin is married to Yvonne Ying Yee Chan. They have two sons Clement and Ryan who are studying in the US.

Sin served as a Member of Legislative Council from 1995 – 1997 representing New Territories South and 1998 to 2008 representing the Information Technology Sector.

Sin has a long public service record. Sin served as a member

Born and educated in Hong Kong, Sin obtained his Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Hong Kong in 1982 and his Master in Business Administration degree from

704A, Admiralty Centre, Tower I, 18 Harcourt Road, Central, Hong Kong T: +852 2529 0864 F: +852 2864 2829 oml@martinlee.org.hk www.martinlee.org.hk

Contact 4/F, Hanley House, 778 Nathan Road, Mongkok, Kowloon, Hong Kong T: +852 2397 7033 F: +852 2397 8998 cksin@sinchungkai.org.hk www.sinchungkai.org.hk

HONORARY MEMBER Daw Aung San Suu Kyi

Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is a Nobel Peace Laureate, Burma’s leader of the opposition, and one of Asia’s most revered icons of democracy. She is also the founding General Secretary of the National League of Democracy.

“The Lady” has spent most of her life committed to the people of Burma’s struggle for justice, freedom, and democracy.

Much of the last two decades

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has seen her locked up, but in 2010, she was released from house arrest. In 2012, she contested a by-election and won a seat in parliament.

in the next parliament and has the opportunity to choose the next president of the country.

The National League for Democracy won a landslide victory in Myanmar‘s general elections last 8 November 2015.

This was the country‘s first elections since the nominally civilian government in 2011.

The NLD now has the control

contact@nldburma.org

Contact

PARTNERS Friedrich Naumann Foundation The Friedrich-NaumannStiftung für die Freiheit (FNF) is an independent, nonprofit, nongovernmental foundation committed to promoting the value of freedom worldwide.

FNF seeks to promote this core liberal value by working to strengthen: human rights and the rule of law, liberal participatory democracy, and a free market economy.

Funded by the German parliament, the Foundation supports a wide range of activities in 65 different countries. Its partners include parliaments, political parties,

universities, think tanks, research institutions, NGOs, the media, business associations, and community organizations. Its key tasks are civic education, policy dialogue, and consultancy to help find liberal solutions for the problems facing our societies.

FNF has worked in partnership with CALD since 1993. They have collaborated to organize conferences, meetings, networking opportunities, and publications designed to further policy dialogue and cooperation among like-minded Asian political parties.

Contact 29 BBC Tower, 25th Floor, Sukhumvit 63 Road, Bangkok 10110 Thailand T: +662 365 0570 T: +662 365 0567 F: +662 714 8384 contact@fnst.org www.fnfasia.org

Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe

Alliance of

The Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE) in the European Parliament brings together MEPs from liberal and democratic parties across the European Union. The members share share the common values and promote an open-minded and forward-looking approach to European Union politics.

ALDE stands for individual

liberty, a free and dynamic business culture, economic and social solidarity, sustainability in taking actions, protection of the environment and respect and tolerance for cultural, religious and linguistic diversity.

Contact

Liberal International is the world federation of liberal political parties. Founded in 1947, it has become the pre-eminent network for promoting liberalism, strengthening liberal parties, and promoting liberal democracy around the world.

There are a number of common principles that unite all liberal parties from Africa, the Americas, Asia, and Europe: human rights, free and fair

elections, multiparty democracy, social justice, tolerance, social market economy, free trade, environmental sustainability, and a strong sense of international solidarity. Although there is diversity among liberal parties owing to the application of these principles in different national circumstances, all LI members adhere to the organization’s manifesto.

Contact

democrats in every region of the world to build political and civic organizations, safeguard elections, and to promote citizen participation, openness, and accountability in government.

Contact

European Parliament, Rue Wiertz, B – 1047 Brussels, Belgium T: +32 2 284 2111 F: +32 2 230 2485 aldegroup@europarl.europa.eu www.alde.eu

Liberal International

1 Whitehall Place, London, SW1A 2HD T: +44 20 7839 5905 F: +44 20 7925 2685 all@liberal-international.org www.liberal-international.org

National Democratic Institute for International Affairs The National Democratic Institute for International Affairs (NDI) is a nonprofit organization working to strengthen and expand democracy worldwide.

Calling on a global network of volunteer experts, NDI provides practical assistance to civic and political leaders advancing democratic values, practices, and institutions. NDI works with

455 Massachusetts Ave., NW, 8th Floor Washington, DC 20001 T: +1 202 728 5500 F: +1 202 728 5520 www.ndi.org

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Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe Party The Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE) Party is the party for liberal democrat values in Europe.

Together with liberal member parties across the European continent, ALDE Party is translating the principle of freedom into politics, economics and all other areas of our societies. The ALDE Party provides an increasingly vital link between citizens and the EU institutions and is continuously growing in size and significance.

The ALDE Party consists of 57 member parties and many individual members from 37 countries across Europe.

Liberal Democrats created

their European political family in 1976 in view of the first European elections and in 1993 was established as a true transnational political party. Formerly the European Liberal Democrat and Reform (ELDR) party, on 10 November 2012 at the Congress in Dublin, European Liberal Democrat delegates voted overwhelmingly to change the name of the party to Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe Party (ALDE) Party to strengthen links with the European Parliamentary group.

Contact

network, joining forces with related organizations around the world. Through the years, Taiwan has received valuable long-term assistance and stalwart support from the international community, and it is now time to repay that community for all of its efforts.

Trustees and Supervisory Board.

At that meeting, Legislative Yuan President Wang Jin-pyng was elected its first chairman.

According to its by-laws, the TFD is governed by a total of 15 trustees and five supervisors, representing political parties, the government, academia, nongovernmental organizations, and the business sector.

Andrew Burgess Political Adviser ALDE Party Rue d’Idalie 11 - box 2 1050 Brussels Belgium T: +32 2 237 01 40 F: +32 2 231 19 07 info@aldeparty.eu

Taiwan Foundation for Democracy Taiwan’s peaceful transition to democracy is not only a historical accomplishment for its 23 million people, but a landmark in the worldwide spread of democracy.

Only after years of struggle and effort could this transformation take place. We must never forget this history, for it shapes the cornerstone of our continued commitment to the principles of democracy and human rights.

The Taiwan Foundation for Democracy (TFD) was established with an interrelated, two-tracked mission in mind. Domestically, the TFD strives to play a positive role in consolidating Taiwan’s democracy and fortifying its commitment to human rights; internationally, the Foundation hopes to become a strong link in the global democratic

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs initiated the Taiwan Foundation for Democracy project in 2002. After much research and careful evaluation, the Ministry integrated the required resources from many sectors of society. In January 2003, the Ministry obtained the support of all political parties to pass the budget for the Foundation in the legislature.

The TFD formally came into being on 17 June 2003, with its first meeting of the Board of

Contact No.4, Alley 17, Lane 147, Section 3, Sinyi Road, Taipei 106, Taiwan T: +886 2 2708 0100 F: +886 2 2708 1148 www.tfd.org.tw

Liberal Network for Latin America RELIAL (Red Liberal de América Latina), the Liberal Network of Latin America, is a Latin America-wide network of currently 52 civil society organizations, political parties, think tanks, and researchinstitutes. RELIAL is forming the institutional frame for leaders and opinion makers, academics, intellectuals, business people, and personalities from the region who share and profess

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the ideas of individual freedom, limited government, the market economy, the rule of law, and a free democratic system in the continent

Contact Cerrada de la Cerca Nº 82 Col. San Angel Inn México DF 01060 T: +5255 5550 1039 F: +5255 5550 6223 info@relial.org www.relial.org

Alliance of Democrats In an interdependent world faced by challenges, global responses are vital. This is the reason why the Alliance of Democrats, an international network of liberal democratic, centrist, and progressive political parties from all five continents, was initiated by various leaders from the European Democratic Party and the U.S. Democratic Party in 2005.

From 2005 to 2008 the Alliance of Democrats, which now includes over 60 political parties, organized several meetings and international conferences for strengthening the political dialogue between like-minded democratic political parties with the ambition to build a common “Global Agenda.”

The founding event was the meeting with the theme “Rebuilding Transatlantic Relations: a dialogue between US and EU Democrats” held in Rome on 24-25 February 2005 with the attendance of the Chair of the New Democrat Coalition of the U.S. Democratic Party at the U.S. Congress, Rep. Ellen Tauscher, François Bayrou, Francesco Rutelli, Bronislaw Geremek, and Graham Watson.

Romano Prodi, former President of the European Commission and EDP Honorary President, delivered the closing remarks.

The conference participants agreed on the need for a stronger and more structured relationship between the EU democratic parties and the U.S. Democratic Party, in order to strengthen the transatlantic

political and economic relations.

With this, the Chairperson of the New Democrat Coalition, Rep. Ellen Tauscher, and the Co-Presidents of the European Democratic Party, Francesco Rutelli and François Bayrou, a Manifesto on EU-US Relations calling for closer links between democratic parties on the two sides of the Atlantic, and agreed to establish the Alliance of Democrats.

Following its engagement to continue building closer relationships with other like-minded parties and organizations around the world, and especially to establish sound links with Asian democrats, the Alliance of Democrats promoted a conference with the theme “A New Europe/Asia Strategic Partnership: The Future is Now: A Dialogue between Asian and European Democrats” on 1-2 December 2005.

The Conference took place in Rome, with the participation of many Asian political leaders representing major political parties such as the Indian Congress Party and members and observer-parties from CALD.

sustainable development, increasing international security while fighting terrorism, and promoting human rights and democracy were the core issues of the discussions. Participants committed themselves to strengthening political dialogue, increasing cooperation and integration between Europe and Asia, and acting in favor of a closer partnership and integration between the European and Asian economies.

The Board of Directors consists of Francois Bayrou, Francesco Rutelli, and Ellen Tauscher as Co-Chairs. Gianni Vernetti, Italian MP and former Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, was appointed Coordinator of the Alliance of Democrats.

Contact Via di Sant’Andrea delle Fratte, 16 Rome Italy 00187 T: +39 06 6953 2367 F: +39 06 6953 2206 info@allianceofdemocrats.org www.allianceofdemocrats.org

In a closed-door seminar, politicians and experts focused on issues such as economic integration between the two continents, international security, energy, multilateral cooperation, and global democracy. The seminar helped set up a common political agenda and a permanent network between Asia and European Democrats. Promoting

Africa Liberal Network The Africa Liberal Network (ALN) is an alliance of 44 African Liberal Democratic parties and organisations from 30 African countries. The ALN is an associated organisation of Liberal International, the political family to which Liberal Democratic parties belong.

We aim to promote Liberal Democratic principles across the African continent by: 1) providing a platform for likeminded liberals in Africa to share information, experience, skills, and ideas, and 2) capacitating

our member parties with the skills they need to win elections and run governments based on Liberal values.

Contact Luke Akal Democratic Alliance Federal Head Office 2nd Floor, Theba Hoskin House c/o Breda and Mill Streets, Gardens, Cape Town, Republic of South Africa T: +27 021 465 1431 T: +27 021 466 8394 luke.akal@africaliberalnetwork.org africaliberalnetwork.org

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ABOUT CALD

The Council for Asian Liberals and Democrats (CALD) was inaugurated in Bangkok in 1993, with the support of then Thai Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai and South Koreaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Kim Dae-Jung. CALD, which offers a unique platform for dialogue and cooperation, is the only regional alliance of liberal and democratic political parties in Asia.

CALD was formed out of the recognition of leaders of like-minded political parties in Asia of the need for a dynamic forum promoting discussion and exchange of ideas regarding trends and challenges affecting democracy, human rights and the rule of law in the region. The chair parties of CALD since its inception to the present have been the Democrat Party of Thailand or DP (1993 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 1995; 2002-2004), the Democratic Progressive Party of Taiwan or DPP (1995-1997, 2004-2005), the Liberal Party of the Philippines or LP (1997-1999, 2005-2007), the Singapore Democratic Party or SDP (2007-2010), the Liberal Party of Sri Lanka or LPSL (19992000, 2010-2012), the Sam Rainsy Party/Cambodia National Rescue Party (2000-2002, 2012-2014), and the Civil Green Party of Mongolia (2014-2016).

The other members of CALD are the Parti Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia (PGRM) and the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P). The Liberal Forum Pakistan (LFP) is an associate member while the Hong Kong legislators Martin Lee and Sin Chung-kai are individual members.

In 2010, CALD bestowed honorary individual membership to Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. The National League for Democracy (NLD) of Burma, the National Awakening Party (PKB) of Indonesia, and the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) are observer parties.

Through CALD, political parties, groups, and individuals have a continuing discussion on the developments occurring in the various countries of the region. The aim is to assess the possibilities for liberal solutions to problems facing Asian democracies.

Accordingly, CALD organizes network meetings including those with its partners (Friedrich Naumann Foundation, Liberal International, Alliance for Liberals and Democrats for Europe, Alliance of Democrats, Taiwan Foundation for Democracy, and the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs), international conferences on vital issues affecting the region, and regular workshops on communication, political management, and women in politics. It also sends missions for various advocacies, sponsors internship programs in its secretariat and in the European Parliament, as well as maintains a website, a social network group account and a weekly electronic newsletter.

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Hon. Oyun Sanjaasuren, MP CALD Chair Hon. Demberel Sambuu, MP CALD Secretary General Unit 410, 4/F La Fuerza Plaza 2, 2241 Don Chino Roces Ave. corner Sabio St., 1231 Makati City, Philippines Telephone +63 2 819 6071 Mobile +63 998 576 0877 Facsimile +63 2 819 6055 info@cald.org www.cald.org facebook.com/asianliberals @asianliberals @asianliberals

CALD SECRETARIAT Celito Arlegue CALD Executive Director Paolo Antonio Zamora CALD Senior Program Officer Jorgia Antoinette Salonga CALD Program and Administrative Officer, Youth and Women Francis Rafael Banico CALD Project Officer Francis Miguel Panday CALD Project Assistant

above&beyond

CALD ANNUAL REPORT 2015

EDITOR C.C. Balgos LAY-OUT & ART DIRECTION Michael A. Gadi