THE sound of Wahono Sumaryono’s voice was occasionally drowned out by the wind blowing out of the Sunda Strait. Before ending his speech at the launching ceremony of the Indonesian tsunami buoy, on board the Baruna Jaya III research vessel, Wahono asked those present to say two prayers.

The first was for the late Said Djauharsjah Jenie, Head of the Agency for the Assessment & Application of Technology (BPPT), who passed away in July. Three min