Indonesia's President Abdurrahman Wahid had outmanoeuvred Megawati Sukarnoputri, leader of the largest party in the October 1999 election and had relegated her to the vice-presidency. But the respected leader of the largest Muslim organisation, a tolerant man, has proved successful only in antagonising most of his political supporters outside his group, and was recently censured by the National Assembly for corruption and incompetence. Indonesia's parliament seems to be moving towards impeaching him even as the growing unrest in a number of provinces of the large archipelago shows no sign of abatement. His failing eyesight has not proved an asset. Mrs Megawati, meanwhile, waits Sphinx-like to get her chance to rule.
More turmoil is in store for the country as it seeks to find a way out of the present chaos.
In the Philippines, President Arroyo is using the mailed fist to make her point. The message she is sending out is that she is no pushover. She showed her political instinct to undertake a visit to the jailed former president Estrada. The daughter of a former president, Diasdado Macapagal, Mrs Arroyo has shown a combative streak and seems unmindful of the rules of the democratic game to retain power. Neither the Philippines nor Indonesia can emulate the predominantly Chinese city-state of Singapore to seek their salvation.