HASTO Kristiyanto stopped for a moment as he was about to take a sip from his mineral water in Tempo’s editorial meeting room last Friday. The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) secretary-general apologized for his petai, or stinky bean, breath. "Last night I was served stinky-bean fried rice by the President. It was delicious," he said.

Hasto was scheduled to come on Thursday night, but he had to cancel when he was unexpectedly su