Wahid calls for fight against impeachment

'We must fight with all our might': Wahid

JAKARTA, Indonesia -- Indonesian President Abdurrahman Wahid has stepped up his campaign against impeachment, urging Indonesians to "fight with all our might" against what he calls a violation of the constitution.

His presidency has been teetering since a parliamentary inquiry linked him to two graft scandals earlier this year.

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The legislature has censured him twice over the matter and is scheduled to hold a plenary session on May 30 when it is expected to press for his impeachment.

The parliament has also rejected Wahid's request to reschedule the session, which falls on the same day as the opening of the international G-15 summit, a grouping of developing nations, in Jakarta.

Opposition lawmakers have tipped Vice-President Megawati Sukarnoputri, whose bid to presidency in 1999 was dashed in last-minute backroom deal, to succeed Wahid.

In a speech to provincial governors on Friday, Wahid said a move to impeach him would be illegal, adding that investigations of public officials should be carried out by the judiciary, not the legislature.

"We must fight with all our might any actions that contravene or stray from the constitution," Wahid said. "If I don't say this, we as a nation will break up."

He made a similar comment on Wednesday, threatening "a tough action" to defend the nation's constitution against violations by lawmakers.

Mega's defenders

Megawati, a favorite to replace Wahid, is also under attacks to resign

Meanwhile, the two biggest opposition parties, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle and Golkar, have jumped to defend Megawati after the vice-president came under attack from Wahid's political camp.

Muhaimin Iskandar, secretary-general from Wahid's National Awakening Party, said earlier this week: "If Megawati wants to challenge the president, she should quit the vice-presidency first."

Megawati, who has not made any clear, public comments on whether she would like to replace Wahid, has become more outspoken recently. During a rally in Sumatra on Tuesday, she gave a hint that she was ready to become Indonesia's president "through constitutional means."

Pramono Anung, deputy secretary-general of Megawati's Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle, said that Megawati would remain loyal to the president.

"We believe that she remains firm in her stance of keeping separate her duties as vice-president and as party leader," The Jakarta Post daily quoted him as saying.

He added that the constitutional process has to go forward, but that Megawati has no intention of toppling the president.

'Proportional criticisms'

Akbar Tanjung, chairman of the former ruling Golkar party, was also quoted by The Jakarta Post as saying that Megawati's criticisms of the president was proportional.

"I do not think her comments have been out of line," he said, adding Megawati was elected vice-president by the People's Consultative Assembly and thus, she is not accountable to the president.

Last week, her sister, Rachmawati Sukarnoputri, suggested that Megawati should quit, following the steps of the country's first vice-president Mohammad Hatta in 1957 when he felt he could not work together with president Sukarno, their own father.

Megawati and Wahid's siblings have criticised against their politically successful brother or sister.

Salahuddin Wahid, the president's younger brother, said Wahid's weaknesses have cost him the golden opportunity to lead the country.

He admitted that it was only a matter of time before his brother left office.

"There is little chance that Gus Dur will survive because in reality, seven factions in the House have demanded a special session (to impeach him)," Salahuddin said, as quoted by Republika daily.

Meanwhile, Wahid's main spokesman Wimar Witoelar was hospitalized on Thursday night after suffering a heart attack. Witoelar has spent months defending the health of Wahid, who has had two strokes and is almost blind.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.