Power showdown carries Megawati closer

Megawati smiles after arriving at the impeachment session of Wahid

JAKARTA, Indonesia -- Vice President Megawati Sukarnoputri looks set to take over as Indonesia's new leader amid a showdown between legislators and the struggling president.

Lawmakers were holding an impeachment hearing Monday. But even if the country's top legislative assembly sacks him, President Abdurrahman Wahid refuses to step aside.

"Yes, he'll stay," presidential spokesman Yahya Staquf told reporters when asked whether Wahid would go.

Wahid faced a speedy impeachment hearing after he attempted to stave off the process with a declaration of a state of emergency, made at 1 a.m. Monday (2 p.m. Sunday EDT).

AUDIO CNN's Maria Ressa reports on the latest from Jakarta (July 23) / AIFF or WAV sound   VIDEO Indonesia's assembly votes overwhelmingly to impeach President Wahid. CNN's Maria Ressa reports (July 21) Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media)   EXTRA INFORMATION CNN Access: Wahid expresses confidence amid political battle     IN DEPTH Shadows over Indonesia     RESOURCES Message Board  Wahid impeachment?   COUNTRY PROFILE At a glance: Indonesia Provided by CountryWatch.com    CNN.com Asia More news from our Asia edition

In reaction, the chairman of the People's Consultative Assembly, Amien Rais, said the assembly would ignore Wahid's decree and meet to remove the president, probably within hours.

There was concern at the reaction of the military and police but both voted to reject Wahid's order to shut down the legislature and the proceedings. Instead, troops and tanks were deployed to protect legislators.

Lawmakers have sought to impeach Wahid over his poor management of the economy and his involvement in graft scandals, with Wahid denying any wrongdoing.

'Extraordinary action'

In an apparent attempt to stave off impeachment moves, Wahid made his move early on Monday, ordering the disbanding of both houses of parliament and calling for elections next year.

Wahid also called for a state of emergency to go into effect later in the day, even though the country's police chief had vowed not to implement it.

Wahid said the civil emergency was the only way to save Indonesia, the world's fourth most populous nation, because his enemies have thrown their support behind his chief rival, Megawati.

"If these things are not stopped soon, it will destroy the united nation of Indonesia," he said.

"Therefore, with faith and responsibility to save the country and the nation and based on the will of most Indonesians, I, as a head of the nation, am forced to take extraordinary action.

The statement of the ailing, half-blind Wahid was read by an aide after the president made introductory comments at the heavily protected and barricaded presidential palace.

Ministers defiant

But at least six ministers abandoned Wahid's cabinet and quit in protest early Monday morning against his decree.

Wahid, who has steadfastly refused to step down over allegations of corruption and incompetence, remained at the presidential palace.

Soon after the decree was made, Rais said the assembly would proceed earlier than planned with Wahid's impeachment, and the meeting began at 8 a.m. Monday (9 p.m. Sunday EDT).

"I believe that the absolute majority of the members of the assembly will come to a conclusion that [Wahid] must step down … he will be dismissed by the assembly," Rais told CNN.

Soon after the assembly gathered, legislators almost unanimously rejected Wahid's declaration of a state of emergency.

Significantly, all 38 members of the military and police faction rejected Wahid's last-ditch attempt to hang on to power.

A vote in the assembly showed 599 legislators out of 601 members opposed Wahid's state of emergency and an order for the top legislative body to disband.

Quiet streets

Jakarta was largely deserted in the early hours of the morning following Wahid's command. There were no signs of unusual troop movements and the presidential palace had no more than the regular guards by the front entrance.

Legislators stand up to cheer and applaud the arrival of Megawati at the Assembly impeachment hearing

But on Sunday, dozens of tanks and armored vehicles and nearly 2,000 troops paraded past the presidential palace in the largest show of force in years.

This took place just hours after at least 45 people -- including an 11-year-old boy and a 4-year-old girl -- were injured in two explosions shortly after morning services at two churches in east Jakarta.

Police said they suspected groups trying to further destabilize the political situation were responsible for the attacks.

Lawmakers sour

The assembly elected Wahid, 61, over Megawati in October 1999.

Embattled Wahid speaks during a press conference a day ahead of his expected impeachment

Initially, the nearly blind Muslim scholar enjoyed wide support amid hopes he would deliver economic and democratic reforms after years of corrupt dictatorship.

But relations quickly soured with lawmakers, who accused him of erratic policies and claimed that he was too frail after a series of strokes.

He also failed to quell communal and separatist conflicts that have killed thousands across the sprawling archipelago.

Corruption continued to flourish and attempts to prosecute those guilty of graft, including former dictator Suharto, mostly came to nothing.

Denial of wrongdoing

Moves to impeach Wahid were launched last year after he was accused of involvement in two multimillion-dollar graft scandals. He was cleared by police and prosecutors.

But legislators pressed ahead with their campaign against him and censured the president three times this year as a prelude to formal impeachment proceedings.

Wahid also antagonized the military by sidelining several top generals accused of rights violations and graft.

CNN's Jakarta Bureau Chief Maria Ressa and Reuters contributed to this report

Reuters contributed to this report.