Amien to run for president in 2004

JAKARTA (JP): Chairman of the National Mandate Party (PAN) Amien Rais said on Sunday that he would run for president should his party gain 20 percent of the total vote in the next 2004 general election.

"With the support of 20 percent of the vote, I'll have the confidence to reach the presidential seat in 2004, as long as I stay in good health and I'm still alive at that point," he told Antara after installing PAN's chapter executives in the South Kalimantan capital of Banjarmasin.

Amien, who is also the speaker of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR), revealed that the party had set a target of winning between 15 percent and 20 percent of the vote in the upcoming election.

"If it was only about 10 percent, I would withdraw my candidacy in a gentlemanly manner and give other competitors a chance," he added.

Amien said that although in some districts his party got more than 20 percent of the vote in the 1999 election, in many other districts it got only 3 percent or 4 percent.

"The areas which had 20 percent of the vote should be maintained. They don't have to struggle to get more voters. But the districts with less than 10 percent have to work hard to reach the target," he urged.

The party got only 7 percent of the total vote nationwide in the last election, allowing it to put 35 of its party members in the House of Representatives along with 427 people from other parties. (bby)