As Indonesia's economy teeters on the brink of collapse, popular opposition leader, Ms Megawati Sukarnoputri, issued a surprise rallying call declaring she is ready to run for the presidency.
In proclaiming that "32 years is enough," and urging President Suharto to step down and not seek another five-year mandate in March, she committed a crime under the Indonesian constitution.
Daughter of the country's first president, Sukarno, Ms Megawati commands tremendous popular personal support, despite being sidelined from the political scene since July 1996 when she was ousted as leader of her Indonesian Democracy Party (PDI) by a government-backed action.
Affectionately known as "Mega", she has recruited a groundswell of support.
Mr Suharto, who arrived in power in 1965 by brushing aside Mr Sukarno and overseeing the violent repression of a coup in which half a million people died, has ruled his country with an iron hand.
The Indonesian press yesterday carried front page pictures of Ms Megawati and her call to Mr Suharto, but stopped short of repeating her charges that he was responsible for the crisis of confidence hitting the country's economy. Her speech was completely ignored by the television, and foreign correspondents were refused permission to transmit pictures.
A Melbourne newspaper, The Age, reported that the Indonesian army "took the unusual step of denying rumours of a coup" or that President Suharto was ready to flee the country, David Shanks reports. Jakarta's military commander, Maj Gen Syafrie Syamsuddin, said the army was on stand-by to quell any trouble.