PAN wants Amien to stay on as party head

Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The executive board of the National Mandate Party (PAN) officially announced its opposition to Amien Rais' expressed intention to relinquish the top post in the party, saying that his leadership was still needed at least until the general election in 2004.

The rejection was disclosed on Sunday at the end of the party's executive board meeting attended by members of the party's advisory board and representatives of the party's 30 chapters nationwide.

"Through this meeting we have concluded that we will demand that he (Amien Rais) maintain his leadership of the party," deputy secretary-general M. Najib told the press, reading out a six-point statement.

Najib was accompanied by co-chairman Abdillah Toha, secretary- general Hatta Rajasa and chairman of the party's advisory board Amin Aziz.

Sunday's meeting which lasted nearly seven hours was organized especially to collect inputs from the regional chapters regarding the intention of Amien to quit the party's top post to enable him to focus on his duties as speaker of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR).

Amien disclosed his intention to the public early last month, responding to a call from the governor of the National Resilience Institute (Lemhannas) Ermaya Suradinata that all party leaders should quit their positions in the parties to avoid a conflict of interests.

The latest example of how government leaders use their position to further party interests could be seen from the visits to flood victims in Jakarta, where state leaders openly displayed the logos of their political parties.

In their official state-funded visits, state leaders, including the President, Vice President, ministers, house speaker and assembly speaker, often spent time in activities with the local leaders of their respective parties.

President Megawati Soekarnoputri is concurrently chairperson of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan), while Vice President Hamzah Haz is also the chairman of the Muslim-based United Development Party (PPP). Both Megawati and Hamzah have insisted that they will not quit their post as party chairperson.

Megawati maintained her stance on Sunday, saying that she was elected by the party congress.

"If I am told to relinquish the party' leadership, it will be a violation of the (party) constitution," Megawati said in Medan, North Sumatra, as quoted by Antara.

Megawati called on state officials who held strategic positions in the political parties to always put national interests above all else.

"Holding a dual position (in the party and as a state official) should not be used for collusive practices or lead to an abuse of power. The abuse of power must be ended and we must lead by example in developing a clean, credible, effective, transparent and ethical government," she added.

Hamzah's insistence on continuing to head PPP led his opponents to form a splinter party called PPP reform.

Referring to Ermaya's call, the meeting of PAN also called on all state officials, mainly PAN members, to avoid the use of state facilities for the benefit of the party.

The closed-door meeting also urged the executive board to boost its performance to avoid depending solely on Amien.

"We know that we must strengthen the party to survive in the future," Najib added.

Abdillah Toha said that the six-point statement would be presented to Amien, who would be asked to seriously consider it before making any decision.

According to Abdillah, Amien should consider the result of the meeting seriously because the recommendation is in line with party regulations.

Abdillah said the party would allow Amien to relinquish his chairmanship only after the party has announced his nomination as a presidential candidate in 2004.