It happened so fast that if you weren’t watching, you would have missed the only news item more interesting than the latest instalment in the reality show that is Britney Spears. “Soeharto rushed to hospital” screamed Saturday’s Jakarta Post. For a moment there, it seemed that the old bastard was finally on his way out. About bloody time! What followed the rather dramatic headline was a blow-by-blow account of the General’s developing medical condition with no fewer than three high ranking physicians giving their testimony.

But it was not meant to be. By the time Sunday’s paper hit the presses, Soeharto’s health had started to improve “after undergoing dialysis treatment”. Oh come on! How stupid do they think we are?! Obviously pretty stupid because by Monday the Golkar party was calling for the Attorney-General to drop all charges against the former dictator and UN-declared thief.

Golkar party chairman, Agung Laksono, called on the Attorney-General to invoke a legal provision which allows the AGO to drop all charges against the former dictator “for the sake of the public good”. For who’s sake?

I almost feel sorry for Laksono and the other Golkar party cronies hiding behind Soeharto. Almost. For years they profited under Soeharto, reaping the rewards of a corrupt and oppressive government. Laksono himself is said to have abused his government position by using government funds to set up his budget airline carrier, Adam Air. Not surprisingly, Adam Air had no problems securing heavily regulated licences and airport landing rights. It all came crashing down twelve months ago when Flight 574 and its 96 passengers disappeared from radar somewhere over the Java Sea.

Laksono & Co continue to sit there in government only because no-one, the Attorney-General and President included, dare touch them while Soeharto is alive. But their time is almost up - and they know it.