Wahid denies parliament will be dissolved

Wahid's government is believed to be in a state of disarray after an aborted cabinet meeting

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By staff and wire reports

JAKARTA, Indonesia -- Indonesian President Abdurrahman Wahid has no intention of dissolving parliament even though legislators may be moving closer to impeaching him, a spokesman has said.

"The president has never had any intention to dissolve parliament through a decree," presidential spokesman Adhie Massardi said at a meeting with senior military officials.

AUDIO Arief Budiman from the University of Melbourne says the cabinet is in crisis 606KB/55secs AIFF or WAV sound

Rumors abounded earlier this year that Wahid wanted to issue a decree to dissolve parliament, which last week censure him for the second time over two financial scandals.

The beleaguered Muslim cleric denied the rumors, saying he would not kill democracy in a country more familiar with despotic presidents and authoritarian rule.

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Speculation has been rife in Jakarta about Wahid's political intentions since he abruptly left a cabinet meeting on Saturday after only 15 minutes.

Vice-President Megawati Sukarnoputri stayed for another 10 minutes before she too departed. Afterwards, cabinet members walked out, refusing to say a word on the aborted meeting.

According to local media, Wahid, also known as Gus Dur, became angry after his military chief and the national police chief were absent from a breakfast meeting between the president and military leaders just hours before the cabinet session.

Government in disarray

"It shows the government is in a disarray," said Arief Budiman, head of Indonesian studies at the University of Melbourne. "The fact that the cabinet failed to have a meeting shows there is a crisis in Gus Dur's cabinet."

The cabinet -- which once showed a unity, urging parliament not to issue the second memorandum -- is believed to have been split between those who wanted Wahid to resign and those who wished him to retain his power, he added.

Megawati, a favorite among opposition parties to succeed Wahid, has been typically quiet, but many saw her keeping further distances from the president.

However, many analysts are doubtful if the demure vice president can lead and pull the country from the economic and political doldrums.

"We never know Megawati's abilities; it would be like buying a cat in a sack," Budiman said.

Wahid won the country's first contested presidential election in 1999 but was selected by the top legislature, the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR), rather than by popular vote. It is unclear if he has the authority to dissolve parliament.

Political tensions have again come to a head in the world's fourth most populous nation since parliament censured Wahid a second time over the two scandals, taking him one step closer to impeachment by the MPR.

He has until the end of the month to reply to the latest rebuke but many analysts say it is looking increasingly unlikely he will be able to hang on to his job much longer and he could face impeachment in August.

The MPR comprises the 500 members of parliament and 200 appointed regional representatives. Only it has the power to sack presidents, not parliament.

Bogor meeting

Megawati is to meet other party leaders later this week

In a move likely to raise more questions about Wahid's political future, Megawati and the chiefs of other parties are tentatively scheduled to meet on Friday at the Bogor presidential palace, about one hour from Jakarta.

Megawati heads the Indonesia Democratic Party-Struggle (PDI-P), parliament's largest.

"It is a political meeting aimed at reaching common ground amid the political crisis since the issuance of the second censure," PDI-P Deputy Secretary General Pramono Anung said.

The military itself has repeatedly said in recent weeks it wanted to remain neutral in a long-running political brawl that threatens to keep Indonesia on knife-edge.

While Wahid has largely sidelined the military from national decision-making, analysts say leading generals are trying to reposition the armed forces for any political realignment that would follow should the Muslim cleric be ousted.

Reuters contributed to this report.

Wahid faces fresh questioning over scandals
May 5, 2001
Embattled Wahid told to reform to survive
May 3, 2001
Wahid weathers protest storms
May 2, 2001
Indonesia's lawmakers censure president
April 30, 2001

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