Wahid to leave palace for medical aid

The stress of impeachment has prompted Indonesia's deposed president to seek medical attention in the U.S.

JAKARTA, Indonesia -- Sacked Indonesian President Abdurrahman Wahid, who has so far refused to acknowledge he has been sacked, will finally quit the presidential palace to seek medical service in the United States.

Wahid's brother and former chief doctor, Umar Wahid, said Wednesday the ousted president will leave "as soon as possible".

Wahid had dismissed his ousting this week by the top legislative assembly as illegal.

"Wahid is prepared to go the U.S. as soon as possible," said Umar Wahid.

He said Wahid would go to the Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore.

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"In recent weeks he has had a lot of burdens. For that reason, we feel that he needs a check-up and preventive action," he told reporters at the former colonial mansion in central Jakarta which is the official home of the president.

As a result of the strokes, Wahid can barely walk.

Yusuf Misbach, another of Wahid's doctors, said the former president had been examined over the past few days "considering his physical, emotional, thought burden which he faced."

"The evaluation shows a risk increase of a recurrence of the diseases he suffered before he became president," he said.

Wahid was last seen in public on Monday night, hours after being sacked, when he appeared on the steps of the palace dressed in a T-shirt and shorts and waving to supporters who had gathered outside.

Officials have made clear they will rather try to coax Wahid out to avoid confrontation.

Analysts say that Megawati can ill afford to make an enemy of Wahid who despite an ignominious exit after 21 months in power still carries strong support among the 40-million strong Muslim organization he used to head.

Despite Wahid's downfall, neither East Java nor other parts of the unruly archipelago have erupted as many feared.

On Monday the People's Consultative Assembly voted 591-0 to repeal the legislative act that put Wahid in power nearly two years ago.

The Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) meeting in Hanoi welcomed Megawati's election and offered hope that she would lead the country towards greater stability.

Reuters contributed to this report.