Wahid apologises for mistakes

An Aide prods Mr Wahid awake during the session

Indonesian President Abdurrahman Wahid has apologised to parliament for his administration's failings in his first 10 months in office.

Please have a faith in us that we will keep trying

President Wahid

He told the 700-member People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) in an unprecedented speech: "I sincerely apologise if there is something that's unacceptable to your hearts, honourable members."

Mr Wahid also promised to reshuffle the cabinet and to stop the country - which has been rocked by religious and separatist violence - from falling apart.

Indonesia's top economics minister Kwik Kian Gie said he was ready to resign if asked to.

I am ready to resign if the president asks me to do so

Kwik Kian Gie, Economics minister

The session before the assembly - which merely rubber-stamped government policy under former president Suharto - was seen as a critical test for Mr Wahid.

Legislators - who will give their response on Tuesday - had threatened to impeach him over his erratic performance.

Amien Rais said no president has given progress reports before

Mr Wahid also promised better leadership over the rest of his five-year term.

"Please have a faith in us that we will keep trying and working hard," he said.

The assembly speaker, Amien Rais, said this was the first time an Indonesian president had been obliged to provide progress reports.

Around 66,000 security personnel were on duty in Jakarta for the speech.

Divided cabinet

The BBC's Jakarta correspondent says the 35 cabinet members have not worked well together, many of them lacking experience and putting party interests above those of the nation.

Wahid's problems

Ailing economy

Separatism - Aceh and Irian Jaya

Religious strife - Moluccas

Weak coalition

The current "rainbow" cabinet was put together to incorporate different political parties.

The president did not give details of the new line-up.

He said the new cabinet would concentrate on domestic affairs, freeing him to focus on international relations.

"There should be a redistribution of the president's work," he said.

Violence

Mr Wahid warned that religious and separatist violence - which has rocked the Moluccan Islands, Aceh and Irian Jaya or West Papua - could tear the country apart.

Mr Wahid apologised for being unable to quell separatist violence

The president has come under criticism for failing to stop the violence which has killed thousands.

"The government remains firm in its stand not to compromise, let alone tolerate separatist movements," the president said.

But he added that the unrest in Aceh and West Papua had sprung from the authoritarian rule and "intensive" exploitation of natural resources by central government.

Plummeting popularity

Mr Wahid has failed to revive the economy

As well as hearing Mr Wahid's report, the assembly is due to consider wide-ranging constitutional amendments - including direct presidential elections.

Mr Wahid's election last October was greeted with euphoria.

But his popularity has plummeted since then.

Many MPR members have now turned against him, accusing him of everything from incompetence to lack of consistency, corruption and nepotism.

Very high expectations of political and economic reform were placed on his government, but so far little has been achieved, particularly in terms of economic recovery.

There are also continuing fears about the disintegration of the nation.