Gus Dur's choices

Jakarta is thick with talk that President Abdurrahman Wahid, isolated and feeling unloved for all his heroism in Indonesia's cause, is a few moves away from arrogating all power to himself. He would declare a state of emergency, which would empower him to kick out the troublesome Parliament, then call fresh elections at an appropriate time. The third element in the strand poses a problem, upon which his premise for rule by decree must unravel. Were elections to be held in short order, it should, by definition, mean that emergency conditions did not exist. Ipso facto, he would be resorting to an extraordinary constitutional measure to rid himself of legislators who are questioning his fitness for office.

Mr. Abdurrahman has also lost what little forbearance Vice- President Megawati Soekarnoputri had left for him. The military, through army chief of staff Endriartono Sutarto, has made clear he would not have its support if he went for emergency rule. If Mr. Abdurrahman means to short-circuit all that pent-up hostility by imposing martial law, it would be fatal for Indonesia. It would solve nothing but invite chaos in the cities and spontaneous uprisings in the provinces, exactly what he was elected to prevent.

What would be left of the legacy of Nusantara? We do not believe he can be that reckless, but the possibility remains that a man running out of sustainable support in his constituency and the institutions of state is capable of anything. If Mr. Abdurrahman cares for his country, he would let less dramatic processes take their course.

He should acknowledge the role and duty of the legislature and defend himself against the charges of financial wrongdoing, instead of belittling its standing. He could escape impeachment that way. Anti-Gus Dur legislators are hopping mad at his imperiousness and disdain for their House, but they are also pragmatic enough to know he would not go quietly if impeached. Far better, then, that Mr. Abdurrahman serve out his term than to chance the certainty of Indonesia tipping into violence -- and much worse. For a benign end to his term to happen, he has to perform one last heroic act -- show his Vice-President the respect her office entitles her to. He has said he has given her all the power-sharing he is able to. This is disputed, and is precisely the formula his inner Cabinet has been trying to fashion to avoid a collision between the executive and legislative branches.

-- The Straits Times, Singapore