Amien Rais gives PPP cold shoulder

JAKARTA (JP): Moslem leader Amien Rais has backtracked on an earlier statement and now says he will not join the Moslem-based United Development Party (PPP) after all.

Amien, chairman of the 28-million-strong Muhammadiyah, also said in a televised interview yesterday he would continue with yet another plan to establish his own political party. This particular party, originally called People's Mandate Party, will be called National Mandate Party and will be formally declared on Aug. 23.

"I don't want to be seen as someone who easily jumps from one place to another," he said, adding that among his reasons for abandoning the PPP was friction in the party caused by groups that he said were busy furthering their own interests.

Amien did not name the groups but PPP was a fusion of Moslem- based parties in 1983 and internal competition often emerged.

Amien was reported to have accepted an offer from some PPP executives, including chairman Ismail Hasan Metareum, to join the party as chairman of its council of experts.

Despite the pros and cons, Ismail himself had also confirmed the party executives' wish to embrace Amien, who has been known in recent years to be an outspoken government critic. Later, Ismail did not specify the post for Amien as expert council chairman, but as the "leader" of PPP.

Only hours earlier yesterday, Ismail told reporters he was confident that Amien would "be elected to lead PPP in the next congress" rather than set up his own party.

"He has a good chance and there would not be any administrative problem with his nomination. We have prepared everything," he said.

Ismail said Amien's presence would "infuse" the PPP with "fresh blood" and would lure other public figures. He said he was confident Amien would boost PPP votes in the next general election. (prb/swe)