Dozens of PAN members to submit resignation letters this week
Dozens of PAN members to submit resignation letters this week
JAKARTA (JP): Dozens members of the National Mandate Party
(PAN) will submit their resignation letters to the party's
executive board within the week as an expression of their
disappointment at the party's policies and principles.
PAN's deputy secretary-general Bara Hasibuan said the decision
to quit the party mostly was because the party had deviated from
its original platform as a reform political party.
"There have been too many deviations from the party's original
political agenda and the party has focused too much on political
interests and not enough on political reforms," Bara told The
Jakarta Post on Tuesday.
While declining to mention the number of party members who
will quit, he said, "Some of the 20 party members who received
warning letters (last August) will likely resign. Their decision
will be announced within the next two or three days.
"Probably, not all of them will resign. I am not sure yet," he
said.
Earlier on Monday, noted economist Faisal Basri hinted that he
would quit the party due to fundamental differences of opinion
with the party's stance on several principles and policies.
A foreseeable split shadowed the party during its first
congress last year over a suggestion that the party's platform be
converted from an open party to a Muslim-based one.
The idea drew congress participants into a heated debate, with
party executives, including Faisal, Abdillah Thoha and Bara
Hasibuan, openly disagreeing with the proposal.
Bara noted that many of the party's decisions had been made in
the absence of members' opinions, including the recruitment of
people, considered to have "different" backgrounds and poor
records, to join the party.
"Actually, we rejected the proposal to accept Fuad Bawazier
(former Finance Minister) as a party member, but he was later
named as the People Consultative Assembly's (MPR) member from the
Reform faction," Bara continued.
PAN's secretary-general, Hatta Radjasa, regretted the
decisions by Faisal Basri and other party members to quit the
party and asked them to reconsider and meet with the party's
executive board for a "talk."
"I hope this is not their final decision as it's normal to
have disagreements, but we can always talk about the differences.
I hope they will reconsider," Hatta told journalists.
He said that different opinions on the party's platform were
settled during the congress last year.
"If the party issued some warning letters, they should not be
considered as punishment, only a reminder to stick to the party's
policy," he said.
"I have been trying to talk to Mas Faisal, but so far I cannot
contact him.
"He's one of the party's founding members. So, he should stay
with us ... I cannot imagine him leaving the party," Hatta said.
(dja)