PAN to discuss chairmanship

PAN to discuss chairmanship

JAKARTA: The National Mandate Party (PAN) is set to hold a national meeting this Sunday to discuss a plan by its chairman, Amien Rais, to relinquish his chairmanship of the party.

Amien Rais, who is also speaker of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR), is considering quitting his position in PAN amid mounting pressure for public officials to end their dual roles in the executive or legislative institutions and in political parties.

Hatta Radjasa, secretary-general of the party, said on Monday that the party's executive board had sent invitations to PAN's provincial chapters throughout Indonesia requesting that send representatives to the meeting, which will be held in Bidakara complex here.

"What is planned by Amien is serious, and we must discuss it thoroughly," said Hatta, who is also the state minister of research and technology, on the sidelines of a meeting between his ministry and the House of Representatives (DPR).

There has been growing opposition within the party to Amien's proposal to quit, but since the issue would also affect the public, the party must discuss this seriously in the meeting, Hatta claimed.

The issue of dual roles came to the fore after the chairman of the National Resilience Institute (Lemhannas) Ermaya criticized many politicians for concurrently serving at top public posts, saying the dual role could constitute a conflict of interest. --JP