A smile and a nod. That was all Suharto offered his lawyers on Thursday from his hospital bed when told that Indonesia’s President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, a former general in his regime, seemed to have decided to bring a final halt to the long-stalled criminal case against the 84-year-old.

“Not a single word came from him,” said attorney Juan Felix-Tampubolon, adding that the reason for Suharto’s silence was “because he is still in critical condition”.