Amien states his readliness to run for the presidency

BANDUNG (JP): National Mandate Party (PAN) chairman Amien Rais reiterated on Wednesday that he was ready to run for the presidency.

Amien was speaking before the opening of the party's congress, at which he said would declare his nomination for the position. Amien further cited polls such as those conducted by Tempo magazine which showed he was more popular with respondents than other popular figures.

He said the congress which ends on Friday would discuss issues such as strategies to win next year's general election and the consolidation of the party. He acknowledged a number of provincial branches, such as Riau and East Kalimantan, had problems involving disputes among executives, but said it was a good sign for the party.

"Usually new parties have difficulty in finding executives, but we have too many," he said. The National Mandate Party is among the new parties predicted to secure a large number of votes. The government has put the number of parties formed since former Soeharto resigned in May at 107.

The party should strive to make sure there was no cheating in elections, he said, which they would not tolerate.

Strategies to be discussed, he confirmed, would include the approach to attract members outside cities where the party's support appears to be concentrated.

Amien stressed that the country's second largest Moslem organization, Muhammadiyah, had no links to the party even though he once chaired it and its members were among PAN's supporters and executives.

The party, he claimed, was so democratic that one of its members. M. Assegaf, was one of Soeharto's lawyers.

"The National Mandate Party encourages the upholding of the law," Amien told the meeting. "Soeharto must be investigated... if proven guilty he should be punished. And PAN might be the first to request an amnesty for him."

Money politics, he said, was "taboo" in the party. "Although PAN does not have as many funds as Golkar (the ruling political grouping), God willing, we can move on based on honesty and sincerity," Amien said.

Apart from preparations for next year's elections, Amien said another major problem of the party was drawing up its program related to the economy and other fields.

Amien also commented on the East Timor issue, saying that after 22 years of talks, a referendum should be considered as a way out of the problem. "If it only becomes a thorn in the flesh, maybe it is time the East Timorese be given a chance to determine their own fate," he said at the opening ceremony.

He was explaining a number of his published statements to PAN members. If a referendum should be conducted and if results showed East Timor wanted to be separate from Indonesia, "we should say we wish you well and good bye," he said. (43/anr)