STANDING between two Dutchmen, the man looked tiny. However, he looked hugely self-confident. The event on 17 November 1945 was recorded by the camera of Merdeka newspaper photographer, Alex Mendur.

Sutan Sjahrir, the tiny man, had just concluded a meeting with Dutch Governor-General Van Mook and Chief of the Allied Forces in Indonesia, General Sir Philip Christison, in Jakarta. Thanks to the picture, the newspapers instantly dubbed him ‘Littl