Indonesia's cabinet on Friday made a last ditch appeal to parliament not to go ahead with its plan to censure President Abdurrahman Wahid for a second time, citing fears of violence.
The plea, conveyed by Justice Minister Baharuddin Lopa to house speaker Akbar Tanjung, came as MPs prepared to convene Monday to consider issuing the second censure, and Wahid's supporters poured into Jakarta to defend the president.
"The cabinet appeals to parliament leaders not to issue the second censure. The cabinet is extremely concerned about the current situation," the state Antara news agency quoted Lopa as saying after meeting Tanjung.
But Tanjung said the parliamentary process would continue as planned.
"If the president has made mistakes, according to the rules, he can be censured," Tanjung said.
A second censure could lead to the impeachment of Wahid by August.
Lopa said Vice President Megawati Sukarnoputri, who normally heads the cabinet but has been at home suffering from flu, would also be informed of the cabinet request.
Megawati's party holds the largest bloc of seats in parliament, making her support for Wahid crucial to his survival. Tanjung's Golkar Party holds the second largest number of seats in the house.
Megawati's secretary, Bambang Kesowo, quoted her as saying Friday that she would not try to block parliament from issuing a second censure.
Megawati, daughter of Indonesia's founding president Sukarno, stands to take over if Wahid is impeached or resigns.
Wahid supporters from the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), arriving by road and rail in the capital against a background of threats to fight to the death against impeachment efforts, insisted on Friday that they had come on a mission of peace and not to fight parliament.
The 40-million strong NU was chaired by Wahid for 15 years until he was elected president in 1999.
"We have come only to pray," said Muhammad Subur, one of an 186-strong group from the East Java town of Gresik who arrived at Jakarta's Pasar Senen station.
Thousands are expected to attend a mass prayer rally in the capital's main Bung Karno sports stadium on Sunday.
Police, who have been deployed across Jakarta's train and bus stations, searched the new arrivals' bags for weapons and checked their ID cards.
Wahid was first censured on February 1 over two financial scandals in which he has denied involvement. A parliamentary probe has concluded that he "could be suspected to have played a role."
Tens of thousands of hardliners in East Java are planning to travel to Jakarta. Many have undergone martial arts and guerrilla-style training in the jungles of East Java.
Subur, an Ansor leader, the youth wing of the NU, said he and his companions had "come in peace."
"We have no wish to create chaos," Subur said, adding that more than 2,000 people were scheduled to arrive in Jakarta later in the day.
Wahid has warned that 400,000 of his supporters will revolt against parliament if lawmakers go through with the censure.
Fears of violence on Thursday sent the Indonesian currency tumbling to a 31-month low against the dollar.
National police (Polri) chief General Suroyo Bimantoro repeated Friday that police will crack down hard to keep the peace, and said Jakarta residents "should not be worried."
"Polri and TNI are determined not to let chaos take place no matter what the risks," Bimantoro told journalists.
Jakarta police spokesman Anton Bahrul Alam told AFP that many embassies had asked for protection, and that 10 to 30 officers had been deployed in each embassy.
But most diplomats said they felt no special threat, and travel agents said there were no signs of people fleeing Jakarta.
NU member Khaerul Saleh said an anti-Wahid group that had planned a rival mass prayer at the Monas square on Sunday had decided to postpone their rally until Tuesday.
NU chairman Hasyim Muzadi was quoted by the Jakarta Post as saying he had ordered NU supporters, who say they will camp in Jakarta until Tuesday, to steer clear of parliament during Monday's session.
Wahid's opponents blame him for failing to curb unrest, carry out speedy reforms or rescue the country from its economic crisis.
But Wahid on Thursday reminded parliament that he was bound to account for his performance only at the end of his term -- JAKARTA (AFP)
© 2001 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
