Wahid jeered, booed at Sukarno memorial

President Wahid says those pushing for his demise are breaking the law

BLITAR, Indonesia -- In a rare display of public disrespect, Indonesian President Abdurrahman Wahid was jeered and booed repeatedly when he delivered a speech at a rally on Wednesday.

Wahid, who is nearly blind and is facing impeachment in August, was clearly angered by the heckling from a group of several hundred people in a crowd of about 20,000.

Wahid was speaking at an outdoor gathering to mark the 31st anniversary of the death of the nation's first head of state, Sukarno.

Blitar, in East Java province, is where Sukarno was buried.

The group appeared to be supporters of Wahid's main rival, Vice President Megawati Sukarnoputri, the daughter of Sukarno and the chairwoman of Indonesia's biggest political party.

Speaking after Wahid, Megawati called for an end to politically driven violence that has escalated in Indonesia in recent months as the push for impeachment gathers momentum.

Earlier Wednesday, Wahid accused legislators of breaking the law by pushing for his ousting over allegations of corruption and incompetence. He denies any wrongdoing.

"I will not hesitate to take legal action against those who violate the constitution or those who break the law," he told hundreds of supporters in the town of Pasuruan, also in East Java.

Bloodshed 'regretted'

Pasuruan has been the scene of recent riots by his followers that left one person dead and dozens of buildings ruined. Wahid visited a church and a mosque damaged in the violence.

He did not condemn his followers, saying only that he regretted the bloodshed.

Wahid has been summoned by the national assembly to account for his 19 months in office on Aug. 1. Most lawmakers say they will vote to oust him.

The president is refusing to quit and has hinted that he will ignore the results of the impeachment hearing, raising the prospect of a standoff.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.