IT is early in the day when Surya Dharma Paloh, 53, climbs abroad his private airplane, parked at Halim Perdanakusumah airbase in South Jakarta. Some of his staff, including his gun-toting bodyguard, follow in his footsteps. Last week, this Golkar presidential nominee went on a campaign trail in Lampung province, Sumatra.

The captain and crew of the Bae 146 jet plane, once owned by the British queen stood at attention to greet him by the stairwe