ARY Muladi flinched at the sudden darkness, spontaneously blurting out, “Oh, dear.” Last week, the 55-year-old Ary, a key witness in the suspected extortion case involving the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), was interviewed by Tempo at his lawyer’s office in Bintaro, South Jakarta, when the lights went out.

In the heavy darkness, a thunderstorm could be heard from outside. Ary really did appear to be jittery. “Is the electricit