PKS will focus on Muhammadiyah and NU for nation's three biggest parties

Jakarta, NU Online
The Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) aspires to become one of the three biggest parties in the legislative election in 2014 and eventually the main political power in the country. One of its strategies is by focusing more on votes from two largest Muslim organization NU and Muhammadiyah. Its secretary general Anis Matta told reporters here on Thursday.

Anis said that his party would set up a new committe specifically designed to deal with social problems and serious in focuisng on the two Indonesia's largest Muslim organizations.
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He said the establishment of the new committee was inseprable from any dispute between the party and the two religious organizations.

"This division is part of reflection upon emerging tension betwen PKS and NU and Muhammadiyah.

Meanwhile its president Luthfi Hasan Ishaq, said that "right now PKS is placed fourth. In the 2014 general elections PKS must be one of the three biggest parties."

He said if PKS became one of the three biggest political parties in the country, one of today`s four biggest parties would be eliminated.

Since its establishment the Islam-based party had participated in three legislative elections.

In the 1999 general elections it won seven seats in the House of Representatives (DPR) and in 2004 45 seats in DPR and three cabinet posts and in 2009 57 seats in DPR and four cabinet posts.

To increase vote collection he said PKS would conduct both internal and external consolidation.

"Through external consolidation it will strengthen its position in the coalition of parties supporting the government," he said.

Luthfi called on all conference participants to pay attention to the directives of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and support his policy for national development.

Following President Yudhoyono`s directives, the national interest must be placed over group and individual interests. The conference until Sunday was opened by President Yudhoyono. (ant/dar)