Rais's Maneuver Results in 'Pra-Hara' Duo: PDIP Cadre

Jakarta (Antara) - National Mandate Party (PAN) Advisory Council Chairman Amien Rais's recent gathering together of Islamic-based political party elites may lead to the formation of a 'Pra-Hara' (Parbowo-Hatta Rajas) duo, a PDIP cadre said. "His political maneuver can easily be read. It is impossible for Amien Rais to do the political acrobatics, if he is sincere. He must have short-term political targets, such as power sharing or ministerial posts," young intellectual of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP), Fahmi Habcy, said here on Saturday. Fahmi suspected that Amien Rais acted as a political anchor in the formation of the "Pra-Hara' pair-up, or Prabowo-Hatta Rajasa duo. Prabowo is the presidential candidate of the Great Indonesian Movement Party (Gerindra), while Hatta Rajasa is the general chairman of PAN. He said the public has understood the political character of Amien Rais. "It is comparable to taking another road, rather than the popular one, if he wants to reach a certain destination," he said. "The Greater Indonesia" coalition, created by Amien Rais, can be assured that it will end at the support of Prabowo Subianto. So, let's wait and see," Fahmi said. However, he said, Probowo should not feel secure. "I still remember in a 2009 presidential election forum, Rais showed a book entitled: 'Safeguard Indonesia' and said that the candidate who could implement this book was Prabowo." But several days later, PAN 'deserted' and supported Susilo Bamang Yudhoyono. He said there was nothing exceptional in the maneuver of Rais, because he has a rational and pragmatic target to nominate his cadre, Hatta Rajasa, as Prabowo's vice presidential candidate. The National Mandate Party (PAN)'s Advisory Council chairman, Amien Rais, has proposed the formation of the "Indonesia Raya" (Greater Indonesia) coalition, a combination of Islamic and nationalist parties, to resolve the nation's problems. "The Central Axis coalition is too narrow. I propose the terminology "Greater Indonesia Coalition" because the combination of Islam-based parties will not be able to solve the problems of this nation alone, so it needs the participation of a nationalist party," Amien Rais stated at the meeting of mass organization figures and leaders of Islam-based political parties here on Thursday. Amien, however, did not identify the nationalist party, which could be invited to join the Islam-based parties. He only hoped that the well-known people who attended the meeting of mass organization figures and leaders of Islam-based political parties did not imagine that the Islam-based parties can solve all the problems of the nation. (*)