PAN reveals plans for running the country

PAN reveals plans for running the country

JAKARTA (JP): The National Mandate Party (PAN) launched on
Monday a plan of action for the first 100 days of the new
government, should it win the June 7 elections and run the
country.

Foremost among its programs is the establishment of a
coalition Cabinet comprising various social and political groups.

"The Cabinet will comprise people who are skilled in their
fields of expertise, upright, without past shortcomings and with
a clear commitment to the interests of the people," said deputy
chairman Abdillah Toha at a fund-raising lunch attended by
chairman Amien Rais and other party executives.

The party also plans to form a smaller Cabinet with 20
ministries to ensure efficiency and solid coordination, he said.

The party wishes to spur a national reconciliation process,
and, together with the people, find resolutions to problems in
regions beset with calls for separatism such as Aceh, Irian Jaya
and East Timor, Abdillah said.

In addition, the party wishes to gradually reduce the Armed
Forces (TNI) involvement in politics and the economy, and restore
public trust in the military. It promises to place the police
force under the Ministry of Home Affairs, while the position of
Armed Forces (TNI) commander would be placed under the minister
of defense.

The party envisions a system that will activate the economy
and which is oriented toward the interests of the people to
restore national and international confidence in Indonesia,
"which is non-existent now", Toha said.

"President B.J. Habibie's government feels this (lack of
confidence), which is why he often looks hesitant and why one
unexpected policy is very often hastily replaced by yet another
unexpected policy."

He criticized the current policy on state-owned enterprises as
"selling good assets and buying bad assets".

Meanwhile, three Muslim-based parties -- the United
Development Party (PPP), Nahdlatul Ummat Party (PNU) and the
Muslim Community Awakening Party (PKU) -- agreed on Monday to
form a coalition in the elections.

Antara quoted party executives as saying they formed the
coalition to beat the 30-million strong Nahdlatul Ulama (NU)
-based National Awakening Party (PKB) in the elections.

PKB is chaired by Matori Abdul Djalil but its founder and
driving force is prominent Muslim scholar and NU chairman
Abdurrahman Wahid. Abdurrahman is also the PKB's presidential
candidate.

"I deplore the NU leader's statement that PKB is the NU
members' party. NU must be politically neutral," PPP leader
Hamzah Haz, who is also investment minister and long-time member
of NU, told the news agency.

PKU leader Yusuf Hasyim told Antara PKB had rejected the
coalition offer.

"I have contacted PKB leaders but they refused to join the
coalition for various reasons," said Yusuf, who is the uncle of
Abdurrahman Wahid.

Details of the coalition will be disclosed on Tuesday, the
news agency said.

Meanwhile, a clash between supporters of the Indonesian
Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) and PPP in
Yogyakarta on Sunday left at least six people injured.

The incident erupted when three motorcycles carrying PDI
Perjuangan supporters met with PPP supporters also holding a
procession in the streets.

The clash was halted following the intervention of locals,
Antara said, adding that the injured, all PDI Perjuangan
supporters, were taken to a nearby Muslim hospital.

Violence between political parties has been on the rise in the
run up to the general election, which will be contested by 48
parties.

Although electoral campaigning officially commences on May 19,
many of the parties have been holding street convoys and rallies.
(byg/har/swe)