Amien says party to steer clear of old pitfalls

Amien says party to steer clear of old pitfalls

YOGYAKARTA (JP): Moslem leader Amien Rais said he would
officially declare the establishment of his National Mandate
Party (PAN) on Sunday, vowing not to repeat the mistakes of
parties under the regime of former president Soeharto.

Amien also said his new party would struggle to defend the
interests of the weak and ordinary people.

"The founding of PAN is my ijtihad, my political choice. I can
be mistaken, I can be right. I admit we began taking our steps
from doubts and we are now moving toward certainty," Amien said
during a seminar organized by the Yogyakarta-based Center for
Strategy and Policy Studies (PPSK) on Tuesday evening.

According to Amien, also the chairman of the powerful Islamic
organization Muhammadiyah, he and the party's other executives
are preparing the party's platform regarding political, economic,
defense and security and social policies.

The party is open to all people and is not exclusively for
certain groups in society, he said, adding that it was for this
very reason that he had not joined other parties, including the
Moslem-oriented United Development Party (PPP), despite public
expectations.

"I think it is better to set up a new party which is able to
absorb the interests of our pluralistic society, (various)
religions and tribes. Therefore, we will open a new page in our
history," Amien noted.

PAN is being set up by members of the Council for People's
Mandate (MARA), a group comprising 44 leading figures including
senior journalist Goenawan Mohamad, noted political scientist
Mochtar Pabottingi, lawyer Albert Hasibuan and economist Emil
Salim.

At least 62 parties have been established, many of them with
religious affiliations, since Soeharto handed over his position
to B.J. Habibie in May. (23/44)