STANDING before the podium, the man appeared calm. Wearing a light-brown safari jacket, Subardi, 55, a Regional House of Representatives (DPRD) member from Yogyakarta Special Province, began to read out a two-page statement.

But, upon reaching the third item, his voice faltered. “There isn’t any more, sorry. The rest of the pages are blank,” he said bashfully. The other assembly members chuckled. After a moment he stepped off the platform