Indonesian political crisis deepens

Wahid had reportedly planned to impose a state of emergency

JAKARTA, Indonesia -- The crisis at the top in Indonesia is likely to intensify as pressure mounts for the impeachment of President Abdurrahman Wahid.

Parliament speaker Akbar Tandjung added to a turbulent weekend by saying a majority of factions will call for the president's impeachment when they meet in nine days, according to the official Antara news agency.

Wahid, Indonesia's first democratically-elected leader, planned to declare a state of emergency and sack powerful military chiefs to stave off the impeachment threat, according to talk that spread through Jakarta on Sunday. Speculation that Wahid wanted to disband parliament and sack the army chief also dragged him closer to a special impeachment hearing in the top legislature, the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR), Tandjung said.

"Until today, we don't see any signs of improvement in the performance of the government, nor is there any in the attitude of Gus Dur (Wahid's nickname) to the second censure," Tandjung said on Sunday during a visit to West Java province.

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"Moreover, what exists are declarations by Gus Dur which have made the factions in parliament even keener to proceed and recommend a special MPR session," Tandjung said.

Threat of violence

A spokesman for Wahid has denied the ailing and near-blind president would take such drastic action as declaring a state of emergency, but confirmed he had discussed the idea.

Palace spokesman Adhie Massardi played down the rumors about Wahid's plans to cling to power.

"Gus Dur does not have an intention to declare a state of emergency," Massardi told Reuters.

"He has discussed it in the sense he wants to know what sort of conditions need to be applied in order to have a state of emergency. The reason why he discussed it was because he had received input from ordinary people who said the [political situation] was not feasible."

Massardi said these people wanted an end to the constant political infighting, which has made Indonesia a pariah among investors and unsettled foreign governments concerned about the stability of the world's fourth most populous country.

Unhappy Megawati

Megawati says she has no ambitions to become president, unless her party mandates it

Underscoring the fractured nature of politics in Indonesia, Wahid left for central Java after lunch on Sunday while an unhappy Vice President Megawati Sukarnoputri refused to attend a cabinet meeting.

"She's irritated [over Wahid's Java trip]. She does not want to come and chair the cabinet meeting," Agnita Singedekane Irsal, deputy secretary general of Megawati's party, told Reuters.

Megawati, who is expected to take over Indonesia within months, abruptly cancelled her own scheduled trips outside Jakarta because of the mounting political tension.

In a clear show of strength for the daughter of founding President Sukarno, tens of thousands of her followers rallied in East Java earlier on Sunday, demanding she be president.

In an address to her supporters Megawati said she does not have ambitions to become president, unless her party mandates it.

Speaking via a live videolink from Jakarta, Megawati also told members of her Indonesian Democratic Party-Struggle (PDI-P) in the East Java town of Malang that she rejected suggestions a snap election be called to resolve a growing political crisis.

Sinking popularity

Nineteen months into his rule, the erratic and nearly blind Wahid finds himself isolated since parliament censured him twice over the two scandals. Wahid has denied any wrongdoing.

Many Indonesians fear his ousting could trigger widespread violence from his fanatical followers, but Jakarta was calm on Monday, despite the flood of rumors over Wahid's intentions.

Parliament meets on May 30 when it is expected to ask the top legislature, the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR), to convene an impeachment hearing against Wahid.

Reuters contributed to this report.