Amien Rais vows not to engage in mudslinging

Amien Rais vows not to engage in mudslinging

A. Junaidi, Jakarta

Amien Rais and his running mate Siswono Yudhohusodo could easily
resort to mudslinging with their rivals, especially those
associated with "militarism" -- retired generals Wiranto and
Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

But the campaign team led by an executive of Amien's National
Mandate Party (PAN) says those issues will be deliberately
avoided. They seem to be aware that while the pair has been able
to reach number one in recent television polls based on text
messaging, polls by research bodies place them lower than rivals.

Campaign director Bambang Sudibyo said on Tuesday that "we
acknowledge that the issue of militarism benefits our candidate."
However, the former minister of finance said, "we won't use it
and will instruct our people not to participate in anti-military
protests."

He said the team would instead focus on the candidates' track
record: Amien was known as a leader of the reform movement and
Siswono is known as a "clean" administrator in both business and
the bureaucracy.

Amien, who formerly led the country's second largest Muslim
organization Muhammadiyah, played an important role in the forced
resignation of president Soeharto in May 1998.

Siswono was in the property business before becoming minister
of public housing and minister of transmigration under president
Soeharto.

The team's supervisory council chairman Eros Djarot said the
team would also promote values of pluralism during the campaign.

PAN's platform is inclusive and Amien initially touched on
federalism as an alternative form of governance, but this has
proven to be unpopular with many.

Eros, who also leads the Freedom Bull Nationalist Party
(PNBK), said that the campaign "will stress that the unitary
state is the final form of our state. We will also make it clear
that we are not anti-foreigner or anti-United States."

Amien, a former professor of international relations at Gadjah
Mada University in Yogyakarta, has frequently criticized the U.S.
for its "double standards" in its foreign policy.

Amien is perceived as representing Islam while Siswono is
considered a nationalist. Their campaign team is also made up of
people from various walks of life and political movements.

Two weeks ago, six parties -- the PNBK, the Star Reform Party
(PBR), the Marhaenisme Indonesian National Party (PNI
Marhaenisme), the Social Democratic Labor Party (PBSD), the
Indonesian Democratic Vanguard Part (PPDI) and Indonesian Unity
Party (PSI) -- announced support for the Amien-Siswono ticket.

PNI Marhaenisme's leader Sukmawati Soekarnoputri who is also
Megawati's sister, PBSD leader Mochtar Pakpahan, PBR leader
Zaenuddin MZ and PSI leader Rahardjo Tjakraningrat are also
members of the campaign team.

The team also consists of former members of the Indonesian
Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) including Haryanto Taslam,
Sophan Sophiaan, Yulius Usman and Siswono's brother, Meilono
Suwondo.

Senior journalist Gunawan Muhammad, singer Franky Sahilatua,
chairman of Government Watch (Gowa) Farid R. Faqih and several
experts, including Rizal Sukma, Rizal Panggabean, Didik J.
Rachbini, Drajad Wibowo, are also part of the team.