Jakarta – The chairman of Indonesia's Upper House of Parliament Amien Rais yesterday ruled out bringing forward a special assembly session, that could impeach President Abdurrahman Wahid, from its scheduled date of August 1.

Dr Amien said that preparations for holding the special session of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) were done. "Therefore, let us all just wait for August 1," he said.

The special session will demand that Mr Abdurrahman account for his rule. If the MPR rejects his account, he could be impeached. MPs from the main parties had tried to bring the session forward to early next month, citing worsening political and economic conditions.

On Tuesday, the Indonesian Democratic Party-Struggle (PDI-P) retracted its demand for an accelerated session of the MPR. Leaders of Golkar, the United Development Party and the National Mandate Party had made the same decision earlier.