Indonesia's political crisis looked close to spinning out of control yesterday after an increasingly isolated President Abdurrahman Wahid, desperate to fend off impeachment, sacked six ministers.
But his police chief -- who has openly rejected Wahid's plans to declare a state of emergency to block Wahid's impeachment in August -- refused the order to resign unless parliament agreed.
A defiant Wahid earlier in the day warned of "firm action" to protect the country and the latest move suggests he may be close to declaring an emergency.
Presidential spokesman Yahya Staquf told reporters the reshuffle was "to increase the efficiency of the Cabinet."
Among those sacked was powerful former general and chief political and security minister, Bambang Susilo Yudhoyono, who also opposed any state of emergency.
Yudhoyono, widely praised for his calm as the country's political temperature has risen to a fever pitch, said there was no indication Wahid would declare an emergency.
But Wahid loyalist and defense minister Mahfud said he would resign if the Muslim cleric issued such a call. Also pushed out was Attorney-General Marzuki Darusman, who was replaced by Justice Minister Baharudin Lopa.
Wahid has given his political enemies a one-week deadline to back off.
"I give a deadline of Friday next week, after that we shall see," he told worshippers at a Jakarta mosque.
The embattled president has insisted he will not quit despite growing calls for him to step down to prevent the political crisis exploding into violence.
Most analysts give him little chance of surviving the August hearing in the supreme People's Consultative Assembly, called to consider his ouster over two graft scandals and a term in office that has drawn little but flak from friends and foes.
"I don't care what it is, I will take firm action if the country is in danger," Wahid, 60, said in a speech at the presidential palace. He did not elaborate.
In the speech, Wahid reiterated that his ouster would prompt several parts of the troubled country to break away, comments previously played down by analysts and government officials.
"The challenge is the territorial integrity of the nation. Currently, many people, including officials, believe the integrity problem is a small one which can be overcome. But I, as an elected president, have my own views," Wahid said. "I will not resign if the safety of the country is at stake."
He said he still wanted a political compromise that did not violate the constitution.
Wahid has little left to cling to apart from the state of emergency and the threat of violence by his loyalists.
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