Jakarta – The prominent Speaker of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) has been accused of being among those who are conspiring to topple President Abdurrahman Wahid.

Noted cleric of the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) Said Agil Siradj has alleged that both Speaker of the MPR Amien Rais and legislator of Golkar Party Slamet Effendi Yusuf are conspiring to topple Mr Abdurrahman, Indonesian Observer reported yesterday.

Speaking at the Central Java town of Sukoharjo, Said Agil told NU gathering that Dr Amien, who was chairman of the National Mandate Party, had held a number of meetings both in Indonesia and abroad to try to pave the way for him to become president. "It is actually a secret, but I can no longer tolerate it because they want to rock the country. NU people in East Java have sharpened their machetes," said Said Agil, who is a close friend of Mr Abdurrahman, better known as Gus Dur.

He also accused Dr Amien of using the President's health to his own advantage by agreeing to the establishment of an independent health team which would observe Mr Abdurrahman's health closely up to the end of his presidential term.

"It is the wish of Pak Amien when he established the Central Axis. He persuaded Wahid to become the President. I am very sure that Amien has an ambition to become president," Said Agil was quoted by Detik.Com as saying.