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Notable Figures
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Like the National Awakening Party (PKB), PAN is a nationalist party that has strong ties with a large Islamic mass organization. If the PKB has a strong connection with Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), the largest Islamic mass organization in Indonesia, PAN’s main Islamic affiliation is with the second-largest, which is Muhammadiyah. |
Emerging at the end of Soeharto’s New Order era, PAN was conceived with the vision of a new Indonesia, with the aim of replacing the authoritarian governance that had characterized Soeharto’s dictatorial leadership.
The party is founded on principles of sovereignty, justice, material and spiritual progress, all deeply rooted in moral and religious values, humanity and diversity.
PAN adheres to non-sectarian and non-discriminatory principles, with its foundational creed being: "Political ethics based on religion for the benefit of all creation."
The birth of PAN is a direct outcome of the Reform movement spearheaded by the influential Amien Rais in 1998.
Following the successful overthrow of the authoritarian New Order regime, Amien, who was the chairman of Muhammadiyah at the time, alongside 49 dedicated activists from the People’s Mandate Assembly (MARA), recognized the urgent need to continue advancing the ideals of Reform through the establishment of a new political entity.
MARA, a significant force in the Reform movement during the Soeharto era, collaborated closely with intellectuals, journalists, writers and prominent figures from Muhammadiyah to nurture the inception of the planned entity.
During a meeting in Bogor, West Java, from Aug. 5 to 6, 1998, the stakeholders decided to name the party the National Mandate Party.
The official original founders of the party were 50 prominent national leaders, such as Amien, economist Faisal Basri, technocrat Hatta Rajasa, writer Goenawan Mohammad, economist Rizal Ramli, businessman Abdillah Toha, lawyer Albert Hasibuan, economist Emil Salim, activist AM Fatwa, activist Alvin Lie Ling Piao and others.
The official proclamation of PAN took place on Aug. 23, 1998, at Istora Senayan in Jakarta, in the presence of thousands of supporters.
Leadership and challenges
Since its inception, PAN has seen four individuals take on the role of chairman.
Amien was the first to assume this position, guiding PAN from its inception until April 2005.
Following him, Soetrisno Bachir, a businessman, led the party from April 2005 to January 2010.
Hatta Rajasa, who also served as the Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs in president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's administration, helmed PAN from January 2010 to March 2015.
Subsequently, the leadership mantle passed to Zulkifli Hasan, the forestry minister in the United Indonesia Cabinet II, who has been at the helm of PAN since March 2015.
Challenges in leadership transition
Amien might have resigned from the chairmanship position but until 2020 he practically always had a say on who should become the next party chairman in his role as the chief of the board of patrons.
Every leadership change at PAN had to receive Amien’s blessing but this situation changed in 2020 when he finally lost his grip over the party to Zulkifli.
In PAN's fifth party congress convened in February 2020, Zulkifli was re-elected as the party's top leader for the 2020-2025 term without Amien’s support.
Amien threw his support behind Mulfachri Harahap for the party's leadership, while expressing concerns about Zulkifli's intention to align with the government coalition.
These differences of opinion led to the departure of Amien, and his son Hanafi Rais, who held the position of deputy chairman, from the party.
Later, Amien established a new party, which is heavily Islamic, called the Ummat Party.
Voted for:
Omnibus Job Creation Law
Capital City Nusantara (IKN) Law
New and Renewable Energies Law
Criminal Code (KUHP) revision
Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) Law revision
Electronic Information and Transactions (ITE) Law revision
Sexual Violence Eradication Law
Indigenous Peoples Law
Voted against:
None
Convicted high-profile members:
Zainudin Hasan
Zainudin is the younger brother of PAN Chairman Zulkifli Hasan. In 2018, the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) arrested Zainudin, who was the regent of South Lampung, along with 11 other people, including members of the Regional Legislative Council (DPRD).
The arrest was related to a graft case in an infrastructure project and the KPK also confiscated Rp 700 million (US$44,000) in alleged bribe money as evidence. In 2019, he was sentenced to 12 years in prison.
National Mandate Party (PAN) members’ corruption tally: *
* Information courtesy of BijakMemilih.id
