THE setting is Room 305 at the Mitra Kemayoran Hospital, Jakarta, on Friday night last week. Brigadier-General (ret) Herman Sarens Sudiro was bedridden with an IV attached to his left arm. In the 50-square-meter room, his body was covered with a blanket, a scarf wrapped around his neck. However, this 79-year-old veteran still spoke with passion. “My private doctor is here,” he told Tempo, during our hospital visit.

He appeared to be in good