Indonesian President sacked but refuses to go
Megawati Sukarnoputri was sworn in as Indonesian head of state today minutes after parliament sacked President Abdurrahman Wahid and elected her in a unanimous vote.
Megawati is the daughter of Indonesia’s founding leader, Sukarno, and is Indonesia’s fifth president since it gain independence after the Second World War.
She is to govern until after parliamentary elections are held in 2004.
The motion to dismiss Wahid, a nearly blind Muslim cleric, and replace him with Megawati was passed 591-0. More than 100 pro-Wahid deputies boycotted the proceedings.
MPs erupted into cheers and applause when the result was announced.
Megawati’s husband, Taufik Kiemas, an assembly member, broke into tears.
The vote, ushering new leadership in the world’s fourth-most populous country, was taken after army generals and senior police officers rejected an emergency decree issued hours before by Wahid.
He had ordered the immediate suspension of the assembly, Indonesia’s supreme legislative body.
‘‘The assembly herewith declares that Abdurrahman Wahid is dismissed as president before his term ends as he truly violated state guidelines,’’ said assembly chairman Amien Rais. ‘‘The vice president, Megawati Sukarnoputri, is appointed President of the Republic of Indonesia.’’
Meanwhile, aides said Wahid did not accept the legality of the vote and was refusing to vacate the presidential palace in Jakarta.
‘‘If he leaves, it means he accepts the decision,’’ said Foreign Minister Alwi Shihab, a close friend of Wahid. Asked whether Wahid would have to be forcibly removed, Shihab said, ‘‘I don’t know. I don’t know.’’
For weeks Wahid has warned that his dismissal would trigger civil unrest.
There were no immediate reports of violence by his supporters, although there were some small pro-Wahid protests held in the capital.
