ONE day a big fire raged in a Jakarta kampung. Ali Sadikin, then the newly-sworn governor, summoned the head of the city’s social welfare office. Ali wanted him to provide immediate help to the victims of the fire. But the man didn’t show up. He appeared the next day and reported that the kampung was occupied by people with no right to be there.

Ali reacted angrily. “There are no people without rights in this world,” he exploded. “You