PAN's political stance waivers

The National Mandate Party (PAN) is apparently divided over who to support in the upcoming presidential election.

PAN executive Sayuti Asyathiri on Saturday said his party had yet to decide its final political stance despite earlier making a commitment to support incumbent Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

PAN was still holding internal meetings so that all party members could voice their opinions of the presidential and vice presidential candidates, Sayuti told kompas.com.

“We previously proposed presidential candidate Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to pick our member Hatta Radjasa as the vice presidential candidate," Sayuti said.

"Otherwise we would nominate Prabowo Subianto and our chief Sutrisno Bachir as the pair contesting the election,” Sayuti added.

However, none of these options materialized, "so now we are asking all members which candidate we should support. We will become an independent party should we not reach any final agreements,” Sayuti said.

Earlier, PAN patron Amien Rais met with presidential candidate Jusuf Kalla, on Thursday and Friday nights.

On Saturday, Amien also sent PAN legislator Drajad Wibowo to support Kalla's regristration at the General Election Comission (ewd)