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)