The PAN not a Muslim-based party: Amien

Although relying for much of its popular support on Muslim organization Muhammadiyah, the National Mandate Party (PAN) is a nationalist-oriented rather than an Islamic party, chief advisor Amien Rais says.

Amien said, during his visit to the East Nusa Tenggara capital of Kupang on Tuesday, the party had proved its commitment to pluralism and diversity since the inception of the reform movement a decade ago.

Amien, who is a PAN co-founder and former chairman, said the party’s statute stipulated that the party was open to all people regardless of their religion, ethnicity and regional identity. PAN members all stand an equal chance of holding party posts, Amien added.

“Public perception that the PAN is a Muslim-based party and the party of the Muhammadiyah is wrong. The PAN is a nationalist party,” Amien said.

Thanks to its nationalist orientation, the PAN was able to win votes in predominantly non-Muslim regions like East Nusa Tenggara in the April 9 legislative elections.

During his trip, Amien held talks with officials of the Kupang Archdiocese.

Amien led a coalition of Muslim-based parties called the Axis Force in 1999 to help Abdurrahman Wahid win the presidency over Megawati Soekarnoputri, chairwoman of the nationalist-oriented Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle.