Wahid cleared of corruption

Wahid supporters have threatened a holy war

Indonesian prosecutors have dropped corruption cases against President Abdurrahman Wahid, but the pressure for his impeachment shows no sign of abating.

Attorney-General Marzuki Darusman said on Monday that he had found no evidence of presidential involvement in two financial scandals.

Mr Wahid: Warning of chaos

These triggered the impeachment moves which parliament is thought likely to approve in a vote in two days' time.

But BBC Jakarta correspondent Richard Galpin says the attorney-general's decision is unlikely to head off proceedings aimed at toppling Mr Wahid because criticism has moved from the scandals to a wider attack on his competence.

Mr Darusman's announcement came hours after the embattled president issued a decree ordering the security forces to enforce law and order.

President Wahid warned that attempts to oust him could trigger massive rioting and bloodshed and ultimately the disintegration of Indonesia.

The security forces are on high alert across the country

But he stopped short of declaring a state of emergency or martial law - a move which would give him special powers and one which military chiefs are resisting.

Senior leaders in parliament ridiculed the decree, saying it underlined the president's weakness.

The only violence on Monday came from thousands of Wahid supporters, who rampaged in his East Java stronghold, attacking the offices of rival parties.

Options running out

Mr Wahid's alleged corruption brought him a censure from parliament before it began moves to impeach him.

He was accused of improperly accepting donations from the Sultan of Brunei, and of being connected with the theft of money from the national food agency, Bulog.

A majority of MPs want Megawati to become president

The president denied impropriety in the first case and any knowledge of the second.

The attorney-general's office said although money had passed from the sultan to Mr Wahid, the donation had been made privately to fund religious projects.

No link between the president and the Bulog misdealings had been established, a spokesman said.

If the impeachment vote in parliament goes against the president, as is widely expected, Mr Wahid could be out of office within two months.

He has already offered to hand most of his powers to Vice-President Megawati Sukarnoputri, but so far she has not accepted the offer.