Jakarta – Three prominent Muslim parties have formed a coalition for the next general election, saying they want to grab a sizeable share of the votes to champion Islamic values.

The three Islam-based parties are the United Development Party (PPP), the Nahdlatul Ummat Party (PNU) and the People's Awakening Party (PKU).

The Indonesian Observer reported that because they had the same platform aimed at boosting Islamic values, they agreed to join forces with each other to form a single Muslim power.

Mr Hamzah Haz, the coalition spokesman, denied that the coalition was aimed at paralysing the coalition's biggest competitor, the National Awakening Party (PKB).

"Our coalition has got nothing to do with paralysing PKB," said Mr Haz, who is also Minister of Investment.

He said that PKU had suggested the idea of a coalition to PKB once before, but it turned the idea down because it could not agree to PKU's condition that there would be no women presidential candidates.