Ong Tee Keat, former federal transport minister of Malaysia on Thursday said the essence of democracy is not in the "installation of a multiparty electoral institution but more in its inclusiveness."

Speaking during the second International Forum on Democracy: The Shared Human Values held on Thursday in Beijing, Ong said, "While the world ushers in a new era of multipolarity, diversity of governance models across the ideological and cultural spectrum is anticipated and should be accepted with generous latitude for tolerance and inclusiveness."