Amien Rais wields his influence to get compromise
Amien Rais wields his influence to get compromise
By Asip Agus Hasani and Sri Wahyuni
YOGYAKARTA (JP): National Mandate Party (PAN) chairman Amien Rais wielded his influence late on Saturday night to prevent a split in the party by piloting a crucial plenary meeting to accept a compromise which effectively shelved any decision to alter the party's platform.
Chairing the meeting, Amien immediately proposed that the decision to change the party's platform be deferred to the new executive committee who would then appoint an ad hoc committee to study the proposal.
He practically shutout attempts by disapproving participants to interrupt proceedings by excluding any debate.
"If this issue is forced upon us then I personally feel I cannot take it. Even though I feel capable of presiding over the People's Consultative Assembly, I do not feel able to handle this discussion," he told the plenary session, referring to his role as speaker of the national assembly.
Amien's move stopped what would have been a lengthy and most likely vicious debate that could have split the party apart.
Proposals to change PAN's platform have been the pivotal issue of the congress which ends today (Sunday).
Several regional branches and party executives led by A.M. Fatwa had proposed that the religious term iman dan takwa (faith and devotion), which contains Islamic nuances, be inserted in the party platform.
PAN secretary-general Faisal Basri strongly rejected the proposal, saying it would mean the party would lose its pluralistic and nationalistic character.
He, along with several other executives, had threatened to resign over the matter, saying it was not a universal term and would be associated with Islamic teachings.
Proposals to change the party platform may have been prompted by PAN's poor showing in last year's general election, where it polled a mere seven percent of the popular vote.
Since the afternoon, the differing opinions over the party's platform looked irreconcilable.
The congress' Commission B for ideology and identity ended in a deadlock as heated arguments, countless interruptions and mike- snatchings almost sparked a brawl.
Two commission members, Sayuti Asyatri and Dedi Eka Dibrata, had to be separated to prevent a fist fight.
Meanwhile, the Commission A for party statutes disregarded other debates and immediately approved of inserting the term through a vote.
The decision taken on Saturday means that the ad hoc committee will have about one year to work on the proposal before having to report its conclusion to the annual working meeting.
"It was the best decision," Amien later replied when asked by journalist about the compromise he railroaded through. "If we had been forced to discuss it would have split the party."
Bara Hasibuan, head of PAN's foreign relations department, who had joined Faisal in his threat to quit the party, welcomed the intervention of the party chief.
"I'm relieved and appreciate Pak Amien's attitude," he said, adding that all elements of Indonesian society should be included in the ad hoc committee.
A.M. Fatwa himself said he also accepted the decision.
"I'm a democrat," he claimed. "I'll accept whatever the congress decides."