Jakarta (VNA) – Drs Muhammad Nurdin MM, Chairperson of the Indonesia - Vietnam Parliamentary Friendship Group and member of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), has emphasised the significance of the upcoming general elections to the Vietnamese National Assembly, especially amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.   

In an interview granted to the Vietnam News Agency (VNA)’s correspondent in Jakarta on May 21, Nurdin said COVID-19 has posed a grave challenge to governance systems everywhere, as it has also profoundly challenged the interactions between the legislative and executive agencies.

Either through digital solutions or by implementing strict health protocols, the parliament's legislative, representative, budgeting and scrutiny duties should endure to keep the balance between executive law-making and parliamentary law-making in times of crisis.

Further, keeping the role of the legislature endures during times of pandemic should also means that it is also crucial to make sure that political transition through the election occurred.

“We congratulate the Vietnamese National Assembly for the renovation in the organisation and wishes many successes in the process of policy-making and development of Vietnam in the future,” he said.

Nurdin expressed his hope that the Indonesia-Vietnam Parliamentary Friendship Group will become a platform to strengthen bilateral and regional cooperation, and also a channel to discuss regional issues of mutual concern and address the adverse impact of the COVID-19 pandemic./.