Karaniya Dharmasaputra, Adi Prasetya and Wens Manggut – Suddenly the move to force an early session of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) to impeach President Abdurrahman Wahid is grinding to a halt. A fortnight ago after Wahid ordered investigation into corruption charges against Golkar chairman Akbar Tandjung and faction leader of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) at the House of Representatives (DPR), Arifin Panigoro, the parties called for a speeding up of the impeachment proceeding against the president. Three other political groups in the anti-Wahid coalition-the United Development Party (PPP), Crescent-Star Party (PBB) and the Central Axis, a coalition of smaller Muslim parties-lent their support to an early MPR session originally scheduled for August 1.

Jimly Assidique, a professor of law at the University of Indonesia, finds nothing legally wrong with moving the MPR session to an earlier date. "Constitutionally, there is nothing wrong about an accelerated session of the MPR," he says. Article 33 of the MPR Rules of Procedures, which provides that a special session of the MPR needs at least two months to prepare, need not be interpreted rigidly, says Assidique. His legal opinion is increasingly being sought after by those legislators seeking Wahid's impeachment for alleged corruption.

Leaders of the parties in opposition to Wahid moved quickly. In a meeting held at the initiative of PDI-P at the Bidakara in Jakarta, a date was fixed for the convening the accelerated MPR session-July 5, a month ahead of the original date. Leaders of the five political groups also agreed to meet on June 24-26 for the final move.

But, only three days after the Bidakara meeting, the agreement soured. Amien Rais, leader of the Central Axis and the MPR chairman, suddenly called for restraint. "There's no need to rush and act rashly," said Amien. Golkar's Tandjung agrees. Like Amien, Tandjung was most spirited in calling for an early session of the MPR in the first place.

What really has happened? Tempo sources say the about-face came last Tuesday when leaders of PDI-P decided at a meeting at the Regent Hotel in Jakarta to back off on an earlier commitment to meet leaders of the anti-Wahid coalition prior to the MPR proceedings. They said party chief Megawati Sukarnoputri could not possibly meet with leaders of the other parties in the coalition owing to her position as vice president to Wahid.

Megawati's presence at such a meeting, held ahead of the MPR impeachment proceeding, could be construed as a conspiracy against the president. Besides, they added, Megawati's tight schedule also played against her ever having time for such a meeting. Rubbish, says one party leader in the coalition. "Talk about busy schedule, aren't Pak Amien and Pak Akbar equally busy like her?"' he suggested.

PDI-P sources told Tempo that Megawati herself was opposed to an acceleration of the scheduled session. They asserted that it was Arifin, the man targeted by Wahid, who was most eager in calling for such a session. The decision by Arifin to push for an early impeachment of the president was taken without prior approval from party leadership.

According to party treasurer Noviantika Nasution, Megawati even questioned the constitutionality of an accelerated MPR session. Still, Arifin went ahead. "Why hurry when Ibu Mega's chance of being the president is already 90 percent in our hands," said Noviantika.

Another party member says an accelerated session would only destroy Megawati's chance of taking over from Wahid. "Why can't we wait for one and half months more when have been able to wait for one and half years," he said, quoting Megawati.

But there's another more disturbing reason for the cracks within the coalition: disagreement over power sharing on Megawati's assumption of the presidency. Leaders of Golkar and the Central Axis are unhappy with Megawati's refusal to talk about any power sharing until after the MPR confirms her as president.

Still, the coalition has managed to agree on three important issues-composition of the future government, its mission and vision, and a blueprint for the first 100 days of government. A detailed formula has also been agreed on concerning the composition of the government. Two alternatives are offered. First, a composition based on a percentage of votes gained by the parties in the last election.

Second, based on a concept of calibration in which the presidency is rated equal in value to 10 ministerial posts, the vice presidency to five, and a coordinating minister to three. An agreement has also been reached on a procedure concerning submission by the coalition members of their nominees for ministerial posts. Who among them will be appointed is left to Megawati to decide. If none are acceptable to Megawati, new names will be submitted.

With no agreement having been reached on power sharing, many doubt the future of the fragile coalition. "We have not been offered any seats at all [in the future government]," Amien told Tempo. Alvin Lie, a member of Amien's National Mandate Party (PAN) also deplores Megawati's reluctance to talk about power sharing. "What's been discussed so far has been limited mostly to concepts, not to who will get what," says Alvin.

Tempo sources say a new scenario is in the works courtesy of the parties disappointed with Megawati. In the scenario, Wahid will be impeached and forced to resign but that does not autromatically put Megawati in his place. The MPR will instead order a general election wihin six months during which time Megawati will act as interim presidient, her power limited to that of a vice president. A worse case scenario perhaps, but a better alternative to the parties, to buying a pig in a poke, so to say.