In a surprise announcement, the country's most influential government critic Abdurrahman Wahid has said moves are afoot to heal a long-term rift between him and President Suharto.
Mr Wahid is chairman of Indonesia's 30 million-strong Islamic organisation, Nahdlatul Ulama - a crucial political player in Indonesia where 85 per cent of the population is Muslim.
He said yesterday that the President had informally indicated he would attend a mass rally scheduled by the Nahdlatul Ulama for August 29 in Jakarta.
The President will be presented with an award for his role in modern Islam before an expected crowd of 1.5 million.
'In this sensitive period, when people are beginning to talk about succession, about replacing Suharto, the situation is serious enough to warrant a rapprochement.'