The challenge to Indonesian President Suharto's authority has widened as leaders of mass Muslim organisations called for him to relinquish office and approved the announcement by a leading opposition figure, Ms Megawati Sukarnoputri, that she is willing to succeed him.
Mr Amien Rais, leader of the Muslim organisation Muhammadiyah with perhaps 20 million followers, declared "it is time Suharto stepped down as a prerequisite to overcome the multi-dimensional crisis" in Indonesia.
"He should have stepped down a long time ago, we need different people," agreed Mr Abdurrahman Wahid, leader of the moderate Nahdlatul Ulama, which claims a grass roots organisation representing more than 30 million Muslims. "Thirty years is too long for a country for any leader. Logically he should step down now or. . . in March."
Their comments came as international efforts gathered momentum to urge sweeping reform on President Suharto after weeks of policy flip-flops that have called into question his commitment to the terms of an IMF rescue and his ability to steer Indonesia out of a debt crisis that is crippling its economy.
An extraordinary assembly of top US officials descended on Jakarta - a deputy treasury secretary, two assistant and one deputy assistant secretaries of state and, arriving today, the Defence Secretary - to reinforce the message President Clinton relayed in a telephone call to Mr Suharto last week.
President Suharto also received calls from the German chancellor, Dr Helmut Kohl, and the Japanese Prime Minister, Mr Ryutaro Hashimoto, yesterday and in addition to meeting Mr Lawrence Summer from the US Treasury Department and Mr William Cohen from Defence, President Suharto will today receive the Singaporean Prime Minister, Mr Goh Chok Tong.
Mr Wahid, however, argues that President Suharto has to go because he, unlike the government, is not prepared to push through the reforms that would strike at the business interests of his children.
Both Muslim leaders also welcomed the announcement by Ms Megawati of her willingness to stand for the presidency which came in what for Indonesia was an unusually fiery and provocative speech delivered at the weekend. In it she attacked the "small dynasty of greedy rulers who alone will benefit from the great assets of our country".
But as the economic crisis starts to hit ordinary Indonesians, forcing companies to lay off workers and driving prices of virtually all the basic food staples, political observers believe Mrs Megawati's move may act as a catalyst for political agitation for change.
David Shanks adds: A call to make the IMF aid package to Indonesia conditional on human rights improvements in East Timor has been made by the Fianna Fail MEP, Mr Niall Andrews. A similar call was made recently by the Nobel Peace Prize laureate from the former Portuguese colony, Dr Jose Ramos Horta.