AT a dinner event held in South Jakarta, none of the diplomats present were prepared to make an exit until Jakarta Governor Joko Widodo and former Indonesian President Megawati Soekarnoputri left the scene. They finally took their leave at 10:15pm. The homeowner and host, businessman Jacob Soetoyo, walked them to their car.

That dinner on Monday last week at the home of Jacob, boss of the Gesit group of businesses, was a friendly gathering. It s