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)