Indonesia's Rais considers presidency in 2004

Rais (L) says Wahid has failed to carry out the mandate given to him

SINGAPORE -- Amien Rais, head of Indonesia's supreme legislature, said embattled President Abdurrahman Wahid has failed in his mandate and left open the door to seeking the post himself in 2004.

"I have no burning desire to be president of Indonesia. I do not plot and connive to overthrow the legitimate government," Rais said in a speech at the News World Asia television industry conference in Singapore.

"The current president was elected by the MPR (People's Consultative Assembly) to serve the people and carry out the mandate given to him. He has failed to do so."

However, in a question and answer session after his speech, Rais said he would consider running for president in the next election due in three years.

"There is no way whatsoever for me to achieve the presidency before 2004, but if you ask me if I'm interested in pursuing the top job in 2004 my answer is 'yes'," he said.

His candidacy would depend on his own health and whether more capable people came forward in the interim, he said, voicing strong support for Megawati.

Rais was once the driving force behind Wahid's ascension to power although the president's party, the National Awakening Party holds only fewer than one-tenth of the parliamentary seats.

Now one of Wahid's fiercest critics, he supported the parliament's censuring the president twice over his alleged roles in two financial scandals and poor leadership. He has said he prefers Vice-President Megawati Sukarnoputri to replace Wahid.

Many observers, however, say that Rais has strong ambitions to become a president himself.

Religion and state

Rais, often seen sympathizing with the more conservative and hardline Muslims, also said he believed in the separation of religion and politics, adding: "I am not in favor of and do not promote a government in Indonesia based on sharia or Islamic law.

The two censures of Wahid -- Indonesia's first democratically elected president -- drag him towards an impeachment hearing by 700-seat MPR, which Rais chairs and includes 500 members of parliament.

The near blind Muslim cleric denies any wrongdoing but must reply by the end of May to parliament's second censure.

Top Indonesian officials said on Wednesday they were pressing to hand substantial power to Megawati to avoid Wahid's impeachment over his alleged roles in two financial scandals and end a crippling political crisis destabilizing the country.

Wahid last year notionally gave Megawati more power in the face of earlier attacks on his erratic rule, but the move made little difference in the way the government was run.

Analysts dismissed the latest moves as cosmetic.

Megawati, head of the largest political party, would automatically replace Wahid if he loses power.

Reuters contributed to this report.

Indonesian ministers tell Wahid to share power
May 9, 2001
Wahid holds crisis meeting
May 8, 2001

Indonesian Government

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