Series of International Conference on Political Party Finance Reform Agenda in South-East Asia

Political party finance is still a serious problem for many countries in Southeast Asia. Transparency and accountability of party financial reports, the origin of funding sources whether coming from legal or illegal sources such as rent seeking, dependence of political parties on third parties (which have been having the potential to cause conflicts of interest and trade of influence), vote buying in elections, to high political costs in the country — have become parts of dominant political party financial problems in Southeast Asia.

In the midst of this situation, political party finance reform is urgently needed. Association for Elections and Democracy (Perludem)–Indonesia together with BERSIH 2.0–Malaysia, Legal Network for Truthful Election (LENTE)-The Philippines, and PRADET and Women Caucus–Timor Leste, with support from USAID through The Asia-Pacific Regional Support program for Election and Political Transitions (RESPECT Program), has just finished working on the research of political party finance in their respective countries to promote political party finance reform.

There are three main aspects being emphasized on the researches: (1) Identifying the party finance problems in Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Timor-Leste; (2) Analyzing the existing legal frameworks governing political party finance in Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Timor-Leste; (3) Formulating policy recommendations for party finance reform in Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Timor-Leste.

To disseminate the research results, as well as to discuss the agenda of political party finance reform in Southeast Asia, Perludem, LENTE, PRADET & Woman Caucus, BERSIH 2.0 and International IDEA have published a compilation book on “Political Party Finance Reform in Southeast-Asia” and will collaboratively conduct The International Conference on the Political Party Finance Reform Agenda in Southeast Asia, which will be held consecutively in September through October 2021 as series of virtual event:

• Vol. 1: September 13, 2021, “Reforming Political Party Finance Systems in Southeast Asia: Towards Greater Transparency and Accountability”
• Vol. 2: September 14, 2021, “Political Party Finance Reform Agenda in The Philippines”, by LENTE (Philippines);
• Vol. 3: September 24, 2021, “Political Party Finance Reform Agenda in Indonesia”, by Perludem (Indonesia);
• Vol. 4: October 1, 2021, “Political Party Finance Reform Agenda in Malaysia”, by Bersih 2.0 (Malaysia)
• Vol. 5: October 4, 2021, “Political Party Finance Reform Agenda in Timor Leste”, by PRADET and Women Caucus (Timor Leste)