Jakarta – Embattled President Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid received a rare show of support from those who were jailed and persecuted during the New Order era.

Author Pramoedya Ananta Toer, who was imprisoned for years for his writings, which the New Order government considered communistic, said on Saturday the President should not step down.

"Gus Dur told me about all the criticism and calls for him to resign. But I told him to remain courageous and continue ruling the country," the author said following the President's visit to his residence in Bojong Gede, Bogor, south of Jakarta, as quoted by SCTV. "I told the President there was no guarantee that those critics were better than him," he said.

On Friday, the President visited the younger sister of Vice President Megawati Soekarnoputri, Rachmawati Soekarnoputri.

Rachmawati, whose Bung Karno University was shut down by former president Soeharto's administration, also told the President that he should not step down, the television station reported.