Amien to run for president in 2004

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)