Jakarta – A decade after it was established in 1998 by key reform figure Amien Rais and other academics seeking to form a reformist government, the National Mandate Party (PAN) seems to have lost its political orientation under the leadership of greenhorn politician-turned-businessman Soetrisno Bachir.

Following Amien's failed bids for the presidency in 1999 and 2004, Soetrisno and his think thank remain hard at work trying to revive and uphold the party's nationalist ideology and distance it from Muhammadiyah, the country's second largest Muslim organization, while at the same time recruit more young politicians and celebrities to attract young and first-time eligible voters for the upcoming legislative elections.

Soetrisno admitted his party lacked strong, young and creative leaders, and had been rocked by the alleged involvement of some of its legislators in graft cases, but said he was optimistic that as shown by its symbol, the party would become a rising star among election contestants this year.

Soetrisno, who also owns a garment business in Pekalongan, remains unruffled by the emergence of the National Sun Party (PMB), established former PAN stalwarts disappointed with the leadership of Amien and Soetrisno and the split between the party and Muhammadiyah.

The party's image has been badly tarnished by the ongoing investigation into the latest graft case at the House of Representatives, which allegedly involves legislator Abdul Hadi Djamal taking bribes of US$90,000 and Rp 50 million from the Transportation Ministry for port development projects in the country's east. Soetrisno is still targeting 15 percent of votes in the April elections. PAN grabbed 7 percent of votes in 1999, but dropped to 6.4 percent in 2004.

"The factor of Amien Rais will have no significant impact on the party's preparations for the elections," he said. But analysts insist Soetrisno's leadership has been eclipsed by the Amien factor.

As a nationalist party, the PAN is open to people from different ethnic, socio-economic and religious backgrounds, although it was initially quite close to Muhammadiyah and the academic world, which played an important role in fighting for the reform movement that saw the downfall of former president Soeharto in May 1998.

That backdrop means the PAN still yields great influence on college campuses across the country and in urban areas in Java, Sumatra, Kalimantan and Sulawesi.

But the party's usually loyal voter base has been compromised in recent years, eaten into by the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), as shown through the latter's victories in gubernatorial races in North Sumatra, West Java and many other local elections. (naf)