Faisal threatens to quit PAN over party platform

JAKARTA (JP): National Mandate Party (PAN) Secretary-General Faisal Basri warned that he and several other leading members of the party would quit if a party congress beginning Thursday amends its platform to include the religious term "faith and devotion."

"We will fight to get rid of the term. If we fail, as a last resort we will quit," insisted Faisal, who is also a noted economist.

He called on the party to maintain its pluralistic platform, saying that terms like "faith and devotion" are only for human beings, not political parties.

"There is no 'faith and devotion' party. We know that there is a Muslim party, a Nationalist Party or a Communist Party," he said.

He suggested that certain groups within PAN were trying to make the platform more sectarian since the party, with its pluralist platform, only succeeded in gaining seven percent of the popular vote during the general election.

"As a new party, we are proud that we got seven percent. It's a good result," he said.

Faisal contended that PAN would only mitigate itself and become a tiny party if it changed its pluralist and nationalist platform.

Meanwhile, the head of PAN's international relations department, Bara Hasibuan, urged those who wanted to drastically change the party platform to just leave the party.

"They should set up a new sectarian party," Bara said.

He admitted that with the congress due to begin in Yogyakarta on Thursday, it seemed almost certain that PAN would veer into a more Islamist-leaning party.

"They're just waiting to knock the hammer to officially accept the term," he said.

Both Bara and Faisal acknowledged that executives of the Nation Awakening Party (PKB) have offered to accept PAN members if they decide to leave the party.

"We respect their offer and will consider it. But we will first fight for PAN," Faisal remarked.

Faisal also confirmed that he had nominated himself as chairman to challenge incumbent Amien Rais during the congress.

"If Amien were not nominated, there would be more candidates, and I would not nominate myself as chairman. I'm just trying to avoid a single candidate as chairman of the party," he said.

Meanwhile in Yogyakarta, the final touches were being made to welcome the 1,500 guests and participants expected to attend the convening of the congress which will be inaugurated at the Sheraton Mustika Hotel on Thursday night by Amien Rais himself.

Some 850 delegates will attend the four-day congress which is estimated to cost Rp 1.5 billion.

To help celebrate the event, about 5,000 PAN supporters will be joined by parade of traditional three-wheeled becak pedicabs and horse cart andong around the city.

In Makassar, South Sulawesi, the party chapter on Wednesday officially nominated Amien Rais to lead the party with A.M. Fatwa as next secretary general.

"We will fight hard so the two can be elected at the congress," Ramli Haba, PAN secretary in South Sulawesi, said. (30/swa/edt/jun)