Minor parties sign agreement

MATARAM, West Nusa Tenggara: In response to a deal on vote sharing struck by Muslim-based parties, four minor parties contesting next week's polls here signed the same agreement recently.

Chief of the Justice and Unity Party (PKP) provincial chapter, M. Amien, said his party, the Justice Party, the MKGR Party and the Independence Vanguards Party (IPKI) approved the vote-sharing scheme, popularly called stembus akoord, on Tuesday.

"The accord was signed for the sake of national unity. We could only do it because we shared almost the same vision and ideals," Amien said, adding that the group of four welcomed other parties to join them.

According to the agreement, the party which obtained the largest share of the vote would apportion the left over vote to others in the grouping. (28)