In death, Indonesia's former president Suharto was praised as a great and almost saintly ruler. At the state funeral, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono saluted the casket, one general to another, and declared: 'His service is an example to us.'
World leaders vied to praise the late dictator's contribution to building peace and prosperity. And I thought: was this the man also responsible for the deaths of so many people, for the turmoil, destruction and death in East Timor, and for corruption and kleptocracy on an unparalleled scale?
The truth is that in death, as in life, the regime of Suharto raises awkward questions for politicians, economists, professors, Indonesians, Asians and the rest of humanity. It raises questions for the elite club of world rulers: were they complicit in the excesses of his rule through their support, or their silence?
Lee Kuan Yew, former leader of Singapore and now minister mentor, visited the Indonesian leader on his death bed and lamented: 'I feel sad to see a very old friend with whom I had worked closely over the last 30 years, not really getting the honours that he deserves. He deserves recognition for what he did.
'The younger generations - both in Indonesia and in the world - do not remember where Indonesia started. I do. He gave Indonesia progress and development. He educated the population. He built roads and infrastructure. And from Sukarno's Konfrontasi and other foreign-policy excesses, he stabilised international relations, co-operated in Asean ... Today, we have a stable Southeast Asia.'
Mr Lee acknowledged that 'yes, there was corruption. Yes, he gave favours to his family and his friends. But there was real growth and real progress. I think the people of Indonesia are lucky. They had a general in charge, they had a team of competent administrators - including a very good team of economists to build up the country.'
