IN 1997, when everyone seemed to feel muzzled and all they could do was nod in agreement with then President Suharto, it was only Amien Rais who dared to nominate himself as presidential candidate. Then reformasi came along in 1998 and it was B.J. Habibie who replaced Suharto, but Amien Rais never lost his ambition to lead the country.

And when the last general elections brought the reality that his National Mandate Party (PAN) was unknown