Lindsay Murdoch, Jakarta – Some of those politicians who angrily rebuked President Abdurrahman Wahid in parliament this week represent Golkar, the party that for years propped up the corrupt and brutal Soeharto dictatorship. For decades Golkar's sycophants defended Mr Soeharto, knowing that his family and cronies were looting the country of billions of dollars, still to be recovered.

A short distance from parliament, where Golkar MPs led the chorus of condemnation of Mr Wahid, party cadres spent three days this week holding their annual leadership convention. It was a grand affair, with the party's yellow flags and banners everywhere. Many of the participants stayed at the adjacent Hilton hotel, spending more in three days than the average Indonesian earns in a year.

Golkar's chairman, Mr Akbar Tanjung, who is also parliament's Speaker, made a blistering attack on Mr Wahid's nine months in office. "Like in a long dark tunnel, the nation can now only see a slight ray of hope at the end of it," he told cheering party members. "The Government has issued controversial statements and policies, and these have been prone to instability and political uncertainties that in the end will make the economic recovery even more difficult."

Golkar's intention to convince MPs to formally rebuke Mr Wahid for the way he is running the country was given a boost on Thursday when Mr Wahid refused to explain why he had sacked two economic ministers in April, although he did say it was for the sake of co-operation in the Cabinet economic team.

Mr Wahid's insistence that parliament had no constitutional right to question his decision prompted howls of protest. Mr Wahid has made many mistakes, spent far too much time travelling the world and appears erratic. It did not help his reputation when his masseur ran off with $US3 million.

Tempo magazine's cover this week shows him dressed for battle in a coat of armour, spearing himself. And that is exactly what he did. He could easily have placated parliament, and spiked his political rivals' plotting, by spelling out the reasons why he sacked the two ministers.

"President Abdurrahman Wahid squandered a rare chance to come clean before the nation, which would have restored some credibility to his besieged office," the Jakarta Post said in an editorial."With his popularity, and therefore his legitimacy, waning, the President could have used the opportunity presented him to win back some support. Instead he bungled it by choosing to confront the house."

But as MPs decide whether to swing behind moves to censure, or even unseat, him they might think back to the quality of the leadership that has gone before. Mr Wahid is in power, warts and all, and he is the only chance Indonesia has to survive its transition to democracy.