Megawati snubs Wahid cabinet meeting

The rift at the top of Indonesia's leadership appears to be growing deeper

JAKARTA, Indonesia -- Indonesian Vice-President Megawati Sukanoputri has failed to attend the first meeting of the country's reshuffled cabinet.

The move is being seen as a snub to President Abdurrahman Wahid who is fighting to stave off impeachment proceedings against him by opposition lawmakers.

In a surprise shake-up last Friday Wahid removed six ministers from their posts, sacking four of them from the cabinet.

The reshuffle was widely regarded as an attempt by the president to rebuild bridges with his deputy whose support he desperately needs if he is to defeat the impeachment process.

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However, Megawati, who rarely makes public announcements concerning her actions appears to have rejected his overtures.

She is reported to have attended the opening of an environment exhibition instead of taking up her usual role chairing the cabinet meeting.

Deepening rift

Among the new cabinet appointments announced last Friday was a key Megawati advisor as the country's new security minister.

At the time of the announcements Wahid was quoted as saying he believed the new security chief would help heel the deepening rift with Megawati -- observers say that has obviously not been the case.

Senior officials in Megawati's own party, the PDI-P, say the president's strategy never held much chance of success because failed to consult her before making the changes.

The reshuffle was the third major cabinet shake-up since Wahid took office as Indonesia's first democratically elected president 19 months ago.

Since Wahid's announcement Megawati has failed to attend the swearing-in ceremonies for several new ministers.

Boycott warning

Indonesia's political crisis has sparked growing tension on the streets of Jakarta

Wahid has been under pressure to stand down after opposition lawmakers issued two formal parliamentary censure motions accusing him of involvement in two financial scandals and of incompetence.

He has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing.

Indonesia's top legislature is now expected to meet in less than two months to consider impeaching the president, thereby forcing his removal from office before the end of his five-year term.

Earlier this week Indonesian Defense Minister Mohammad Mahfud said the president was considering boycotting parliament if it went ahead with impeachment proceedings.

He said the president would refuse to give an obligatory accountability speech to the nation's highest legislative body, the People's Consultative Assembly, because hostile lawmakers have not specified exactly what violations he had committed.