NEARING dawn in the parking lot of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) Central Executive Board office at Lenteng Agung, Jakarta, a fortnight ago, a legislative candidate was chain-smoking while dialing his cellphone.

It was a depressing morning for the would-be legislator. That day the PDI-P Central Board planned to send the provisional list of legislative candidates to the General Elections Commission (KPU). He had been assured