PAN Undecided about Forming Coalition, Says Chairman

Kediri, E Java (Antara) - The National Mandate Party (PAN) is still undecided about forming a coalition with other parties to nominate presidential and vice presidential candidates in the coming election, said its chairman, Hatta Rajasa. "We are still focusing on the legislative election, yet we also maintain good communications with other parties," he said here on Saturday. PAN officials have held talks with the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP), but the talks did not touch on presidential and vice presidential candidates, he said. PAN will hold a meeting after the April 9 legislative elections to decide whether to form a coalition with other parties in the lead-up to the presidential poll on July 9 or nominate its own presidential candidate, he said. Hatta said everything can happen after legislative elections, but he does not know exactly what will happen. He also asked the party's legislative candidates to work hard to deliver large votes in the legislative election. Further, PAN continues to conduct surveys to project its vote tally in the legislative election, he said. "We hope that we can do better than we did in the 2009 elections. During the rest of the campaign period, we will try to raise our vote tally," he said. (*) Reporting by Fiqih Arfani