NDI and CALD release new publications on Asian Political Parties and on the 2nd joint regional workshop

June 1, 2004 3:35 am Published by Leave your thoughts

(June 1, 2004/ Washington D.C and Manila) The Washington-DC based National DemocraticInstitute for International Affairs (NDI) and the Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats (CALD), a coalition of political parties in Asia, have released the book Political Parties in Asia(edited by Peter Manikas and Laura Thornton).

This was the result of the research component of the  joint NDI-CALD program in Asia on Political Party Strategies to Combat Corruption. Its purpose was to support political parties in their efforts to implement internal reforms through enhanced democracy, accountability, and transparency in party structures and practices. In addition, the program explored the challenges facing parties with respect to party financing, national legislation and regulations, and evolving public expectations, and aims to help parties participate in the formation of national reform initiatives.

In the first stage of this program, NDI and CALD conducted research to identify existing strategies and mechanism parties are employing to limit opportunities for corruption, whether voluntarily adapted or mandated by external legislation. This research took place in eight countries: Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Nepal, Philippines, South Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand. NDI and CALD first examined the external environment in which parties function, including the country’s transition to democracy, current political climate, governance and electoral systems, and problems with political corruption. In particular, NDI and CALD studied the legislation and institutions governing political parties, elections, and political finance.

Most importantly, however, the research focused on internal political party reform. The political parties in the study generously shared various strategies they have used to promote greater internal democracy, accountability, and transparency in their decision-making processes, candidate and leadership selection, financial management and fund-raising practices, and ethical criteria and disciplinary procedures. Parties described reforms such as formulating codes of conduct, adopting mandatory disclosure requirements, conducting financial audits, establishing independent monitoring and disciplinary committees, implementing training and ethical educational programs, and enacting term limits for party leaders.

Following the research, the program brought together 28 Asian political party representatives in Bangkok in January 2002 to discuss their experiences in democratic development and build upon the reform strategies identified in the research. The workshop provided an opportunity for parties, in some cases fierce political competitors, to at least temporarily lay aside partisan interests and share perspectives on the common challenges they confront. The parties represented some of the oldest in Asia, such as the Kuomintang of Taiwan, as well as some of the newest, such as Kaedilan Party of Malaysia. They also represented great diversity in their financial conditions, ideologies, and levels of organizational development.

This book, published and copyrighted in Washington DC,  presents the research findings, with the objective of providing comparative information on party practices in order to aid party reform efforts. The party strategies and practices described in this study emerged from a review of party documents and discussions with party representatives, and the accounts of party reform initiatives, therefore, largely reflect the parties’ perspectives.

In a related development, the CALD secretariat released the report of the 2nd NDI-CALD Regional Workshop on Political Party Reform which was held August of last year. Included are the introduction, the program rationale and background, the workshop steering committee, the workshop objectives/methodology/structure, the entire workshop proceedings, and appendices.

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This post was written by CALD

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The Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats (CALD) was inaugurated in Bangkok in 1993, with the support of then Thai Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai and South Korea’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.
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