THE dinner proceeded filled with the sound of laughter. Golkar Party General Chairman Jusuf Kalla sat between Advisory Council Chairman Surya Paloh and Sultan Hamengku Buwono X, regaling them with light stories from his overseas trip. Food was constantly being brought to the table, seven courses including sop buntut (oxtail soup) and semur ayam (chicken stew).

The dinner took place on a Wednesday evening at the Golkar central office in Slipi, We