TRI Rismaharini's determined tone seemed to placate the party on the other end of the telephone line. "Alright, I will not resign. Disperse your friends," said the Surabaya mayor, last week. One of her biggest supporters on the telephone had just informed her that crowds had gathered to protest when news spread that Risma had decided to prematurely resign from her mayoralty term from 2010 to 2015.

Tempo's interview was interrupted by that telephone