PAN to pick VP candidate in June

JAKARTA: The National Mandate Party (PAN), the country's fifth largest political party, is expected to discuss its vice presidential candidate during a national congress in June.

PAN vice chairman Abdillah Toha said on Friday his party would pick a candidate who would help the party garner more votes in the 2004 elections.

"The person could be a politician or a nonpolitician," Abdillah said.

PAN chairman Amien Rais was nominated as the party's presidential candidate last year. Amien has made it clear that he will not settle for anything less than the presidential post.

With the large number of political parties, analysts believe it will be extremely difficult for any party to win a majority in the elections, thus creating the need for alliances with other parties. --JP