Wahid impeachment proceedings approved

Wahid's is struggling to formulate a compromise that will save his job

JAKARTA, Indonesia -- Indonesia's national assembly has approved the start of formal impeachment proceedings against President Adburrahman Wahid, who boycotted the meeting despite demands that he defend his record as president.

"I will not attend this illegal meeting," he said in a nationally televised speech.

The national assembly (MPR) convened Saturday to decide whether to hold the special session on Monday, which could impeach the president.

The full parliamentary session opened with 444 of the 695 sitting members present. The 56 members of Wahid's National Awakening Party (PKB) boycotted the session.

VIDEO President Abdurrahman Wahid threatens to impose a state of emergency, unless parliament drops a plan to impeach him. (July 20) Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media) CNN's Maria Ressa reports on the emerging political crisis between President Abdurrahman Wahid and his government (July 19) Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media) CNN's interview with the embattled Indonesian president (July 12) Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media)   EXTRA INFORMATION CNN Access: Wahid expresses confidence amid political battle     IN DEPTH Shadows over Indonesia     RESOURCES Message Board  Wahid impeachment?   COUNTRY PROFILE At a glance: Indonesia Provided by CountryWatch.com    CNN.com Asia More news from our Asia edition

Wahid's refusal to take part in the hearing against him sets the stage for a showdown with the assembly.

Wahid refrained from restating an earlier threat to declare a state of emergency and to close down the assembly -- a move opposed by the military.

"But I have many options," he said. "I won't tell what I will do. But I will do something" by July 31.

Wahid warned there could be a violent reaction to any move to impeach him, saying the assembly should take into account his wide support among the Indonesian people.

"If they (go ahead with impeachment), don't blame me if the crowd takes care of everything by themselves," he said, adding that he would urge his supporters to refrain from staging violent protests.

"I am a follower of Mahatma Gandhi," he said in reference to the independence leader who won freedom for India from Britain last century through nonviolent resistance

He said the special MPR session was invalid.

"This plenary meeting is unrecognised, therefore it is not valid," an aide to Wahid told the news conference after Wahid made some opening remarks.

Leaders of the top assembly decided to bring forward the impeachment hearing due on August 1.

The assembly is widely expected to dump the ailing Muslim leader 21 turbulent months into his five-year term as Indonesia's first democratically-elected leader.

Earlier Wahid had put off a threat to declare a state of emergency, giving a new deadline of July 31 to reach a political compromise that will keep him in power.

"We have to be ready to implement the state of emergency at July 31 at six o'clock if there is no compromise," Wahid said in a brief statement at the presidential palace.

"Up to now, we have not reached a political compromise needed to overcome the political crisis."

Tension escalates

The announcement follows a week of rising tensions in the Indonesian capital, Jakarta.

A state of emergency would give the president wide-ranging powers and allow him to call an early election.

However, the likelihood of such an order going through was thrown into question earlier this week when several senior army and police generals warned they would not support it.

Opposition lawmakers accuse Wahid of political incompetence during his 20 months in office and of involvement in two multi-million dollar financial scandals.

Wahid has repeatedly denied all the charges and denounced efforts to remove him from office as unconstitutional.

However, despite the president backing away from calling a state of emergency, his fate is still unclear after he announced that he was appointing a new temporary national police chief.

The sacking of the previous holder of the post, Gen. Bimantoro, sparked widespread anger among lawmakers who refused to recognize the dismissal of the previous holder of the post.

Several key critics said any move to appoint a permanent successor would be unconstitutional and grounds for impeachment hearings to begin immediately.

'A trick'

In response to the appointment Rais called on lawmakers to begin the process as soon as possible.

Security has been tightened in Jakarta amid a growing threat of violence

Speaking to CNN he said Wahid's actions went against the constitution.

"It is against the rules that we have agreed to in the Assembly," he told CNN. "So, to some extent it is against the constitution."

Rais, who was at one time a leading Wahid ally, said Wahid's temporary appointment of Gen. Chaeruddin Ismail as the new temporary national police chief, subject to parliament's approval, was "a trick".

There is speculation among some observers that the move may be part of Wahid's efforts to spread division within the fragile opposition coalition pushing for his removal.

They include the Golkar party -- the second largest party and the one-time political vehicle of former President Suharto; several Muslim parties; representatives of the military; and the party of Vice President Megawati Sukarnoputri who is Wahid's likely successor.

Golkar leader Akbar Tandjung said earlier his party would not support an early special session because Chairuddin's temporary appointment did not flout MPs' demands.

Threat of violence

The prospect of a political showdown has raised tensions in Jakarta over the past week with fears that the crisis could translate into renewed violence on the city's streets.

The rift between Wahid and his deputy, Megawati Sukarnoputri appears to be getting ever wider

More than 40,000 police and troops have been deployed around the capital and plans are in place to evacuate lawmakers and defend embassies in the event of trouble.

Many observers say that without any prospect of a compromise being reached, they expect Wahid to eventually be forced from office.

That likelihood was reinforced when Megawati's party, the PDI-P, said publicly for the first time that it would back his removal.

As deputy, Megawati would automatically assume the presidency if Wahid is forced out.

Both she and her party have previously expressed support for an impeachment hearing, but until now have stopped short of calling for Wahid's removal.

However other analysts say Wahid may yet be able to get off on a technicality.

Despite weeks of blustering threats, he did not declare a state of emergency -- nor did he swear in a new national police chief, choosing instead to install an "acting police chief".

But opposition lawmakers say they are fed up with Wahid's threats. They warn impeachment is inevitable. The only question, they say, is when. "Right now, he is counting his days," said Rais.

"He will become a common citizen just like other citizens when he is not the President anymore. I think it is too late to make any political compromise."

The Associated Press & Reuters contributed to this report.