Jakarta, March 30 -- Strengthening political parties is of the essence for Indonesia to maintain the democratic culture fostered between its government and people, according to Speaker of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) Bambang Soesatyo.

"The stronger and healthier the condition of political parties, the easier it will be for Indonesia to actualize prosperity and welfare for its people through democracy," he remarked during a public lecture at Borobudur University, Jakarta, on Saturday.

He underscored the need for political parties to take several measures to grow stronger, including enhancing the quality of their cadres, improving operational facilities, and increasing the number of sympathizers evenly in regions.

However, he...