Jakarta – Internal conflict within the National Mandate Party (PAN) has risen to new level with the resignation of co-founder and current legislator Fuad Bawazier.
Fuad, who helped found PAN in 1998, said over the weekend he was considering a jump to the up-and-coming Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) or the establishment of a new party, Antara reported.
"PAN has abandoned its characteristic democracy," Fuad said when announcing his departure. He said he had tendered his resignation and returned his party's membership card on July 28.
Copies of his resignation letter had also been sent to the President, the House of Representatives (DPR) speaker and People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) speaker, as well as the General Elections Commission (KPU).
Cracks had been visible within PAN when Fuad, a finance minister in the last Cabinet of authoritarian president Soeharto, who stepped down in 1998, failed to win support from outgoing leader Amien Rais in the race for the party's leadership this past April. Amien's hanpicked candidate, Sutrisno Bachir, beat Fuad in the party's internal election.
Following his defeat, the dejected Fuad expressed suspicions of vote-rigging. He also hinted that he would leave the party.
Fuad, who is also a businessman, said on Saturday he would remain a member of the DPR, pending the issuance of a presidential decree on his replacement.
He said PAN had violated its own democratic principles after its central board issued a decree dated July 22, which bans provincial chapter members from electing regional executives who go against Jakarta's policy.
"What's an election of regional executives for if they require the central board's approval," Fuad said.
Fuad warned that the waning democracy would adversely affect PAN's performance in the next legislative and presidential elections in 2009.
He also criticized PAN for conforming to the Golkar Party in debates on crucial matters at the House.
He cited the move by some legislators to demand an investigation into an alleged lending scam involving state-run Bank Mandiri as an example.
"The motion failed, partly because of PAN's lackluster support after being influenced (to oppose the probe) by Golkar," said Fuad, who is a former Golkar member.
PAN surprised many with its debut success in the 1999 national election, winning 7.53 million votes and gaining 34 DPR seats. Its leader Amien Rais became the MPR speaker and played a pivotal role in helping Abdurrahman Wahid secure his presidency later in 1999.
In the last legislative election in 2004, PAN managed to get 7.3 million votes. Amien then lost out in the first round of the ensuing presidential election.