Vice-President Megawati Sukarnoputri will allow her Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), the largest in Parliament, to back a second memorandum of censure against President Abdurrahman Wahid next week, an opposition leader said.
Yusril Ihza Mahendra, head of the Crescent Star Party (PBB), said: 'We were discussing PBB's support for the second memorandum, and when I asked about PDI-P's stance, Ibu [Mrs] Megawati said, 'It will be like that too'.'
According to Mr Yusril, Mrs Megawati added: 'There is a lot of pressure from [members of her] party to [support the censure] and things are difficult to handle.'
His comments are indicative of the heightened tension and anticipation ahead of the crucial parliamentary session next Monday, when lawmakers could issue a second censure of Mr Wahid for alleged corruption and incompetence - triggering a full session of the more powerful Peoples' Consultative Assembly to vote Mr Wahid from office.
But Mrs Megawati is not expected to issue final instructions to her party before a special meeting at its Jakarta headquarters on Sunday.
One of the reasons for her hesitancy in making her views known is the leading role in Parliament played by men such as Mr Mahendra.
Mrs Megawati is said to have laid down three conditions under which she would consider taking Mr Wahid's job, the key one being her refusal to appoint a vice-president. But Mr Mahendra's party and others, such as the National Mandate Party want Mrs Megawati to reward them for their role in toppling Mr Wahid by making Mr Mahendra her vice-president.
