The date was Monday 22 January, the place Jakarta Convention Center. The clock ticked 4.14pm when Chairman Bachtiar Chamsyah rapped his gavel, officially opening the meeting to hear President Abdurrahman Wahid respond to questions by a special committee set up by Parliament to investigate allegations of his involvement in the Bruneigate and Buloggate scandals.

Sitting to the right of the president was Marsillam Simanjuntak and to his right Djoh