Samin Kitjot, the forgotten parking attendant boss By Johannes Simbolon JAKARTA (JP): He was feared by vehicle thieves across Jakarta for decades. He once reigned over parking lots throughout the city and created the unique parking attendant system the city administration continues to inflict upon Jakartans. His name is Samin Kitjot, a diminutive Betawiman who looks 40 despite his 85 years. His past glory is sadly gone. "I have nothing left," the former parking lot king explains.

Guess What? Nova Television series Si Doel Anak Sekolahan (Doel, the student), on RCTI every Friday night, is not only popular in Indonesia but also in Saudi Arabia. Rano Karno, the actor who plays Doel, is not pleased. "The television series is pirated," Rano told his fans in Bandung, West Java, early last week. Rano uncovered the scam when he and the crew members of Si Doel went on a special pilgrimage to Mecca, the Muslim holy city, last December.

Guess What? JP/alx Nothing was different in the appearance of Minister/State Secretary Moerdiono when he installed Dr. Soefjan Tsauri as the new chairman of the National Institute of Science last Monday. Moerdiono maintained his cool-headed expression even though he realized he was 15 minutes behind the scheduled time. He, on behalf of President Soeharto, was supposed to open the ceremony at 10 a.m.

Jakartans underline need for better parking service JAKARTA (JP): Paying Rp 500 to park your car on the side of the street just to get some air in a tire is only one frustrating part of parking in Jakarta. There are simply no rules when it comes to parking in the city. Sometimes it costs Rp 500, and other times Rp 300. Often you have to pay twice for parking in one spot.

Indonesia dominates Japan Open finals TOKYO (Agencies): Indonesia confirmed its badminton superiority at the US$125,000 Japan Open championships, assuring itself of two men's titles and all places in today's finals. All-England reigning champion Hariyanto Arbi set up another final showdown against world champion and compatriot Joko Suprianto after winning the all-Indonesian semifinal matches yesterday.

Police exile drag racers to Senayan area By Johannes Simbolon JAKARTA (JP): Most Jakartans find Saturday night a relief. It allows them time to wind down at the few entertainment places in the city. Some teenagers have their own way of relaxing. Instead of simply going out to a bar, a discotheque or a movie, they prefer a night on the street, racing against nobody but their own young, restless spirits. Because of these young racers, weekend nights used to be a nightmare for residents along Jl.

Ramadhan fasting month is good training ground By Santi W.E. Soekanto The holy month of Ramadhan starts this week. Moslems will not eat or drink from dawn to dusk for the entire month. Non-Moslems often wonder how those observing the holy month stay healthy. The following article looks at how fasting trains Moslem and what spiritual benefit they get from it.

Guess What? JP/arh West Nusa Tenggara Governor Warsito should know from his, military experiences, on how to act as quick as possible to solve critical problems. "Making a wrong decision is better than making no decision at all," Warsito declared when he chaired a special congress of the National Sports Council congress at the Senayan indoor stadium complex.

KL-Manila ties warmer MANILA (Reuter): Malaysia's Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, who arrives in the Philippines yesterday, says ties between Kuala Lumpur and Manila have warmed considerably, despite last year's roundups of Filipina maids in Malaysia.

Gorbachev's grand-nephew holds exhibition By Greg Doyle JAKARTA (JP): These days as we think of the former Soviet Union we are apt to think of civil disturbances, urban squalor and a rampant mafioso providing former Party apparatchiks with stolen fur coats and thousand dollar bottles of undrinkable cognac while street urchins hustle outside McDonald's.

RI joins Dhaka chess tourney Jakarta (JP): Grand Master Edhi Handoko and FIDE Master Ruben Gunawan are seeking to boost their elo ratings at the Grand Master Chess Tournament in Dhaka on Feb. 2-15. Mukmin Panggabean, from the Indonesian Chess Association, said on Friday that the organizers originally expected Indonesia's number one Grand Master Utut Adianto and a master international to come. Utut didn't register because of his tight playing schedule.

Parking is one big headache By Johannes Simbolon and Lenah Susianty What's wrong with Jakarta's parking system? The city's parking revenues are always far below target and poor management leads to complaints about poor service and facilities. The following article looks at the problem and the efforts to solve it. JAKARTA (JP): Ever since it was established in 1972, the city parking authority has been criticized. Poor service, no guarantee of security and revenue losses are its main problems.

Parking a challenge to motorists, officials alike JAKARTA (JP): You have to be at a nearby building by 7:00 p.m. You allow 30 minutes for the drive through congested streets and reckon you will arrive on time. You pull into the building's parking lot and your heart sinks: you forgot to factor in the 15 minutes of driving up the winding floors of the garage. The hunt for a parking space has begun. Jakartans are slowly getting used to multi-storied parking garages.

C. Kalimantan wrestlers reign JAKARTA (JP): Central Kalimantan came out as overall champion of the National Junior Freestyle Wrestling Championship which ended on Friday at the Rawamangun velodrome. The province collected four gold medals and a silver, easily beating second place South Kalimantan's one gold, silver and bronze. South Kalimantan was granted the second spot ahead of West Sumatra which won one gold and two silvers because they fielded more participants.

Kassandra steals attention By R. Alpha Amirrachman JAKARTA (JP): I didn't know why Penny, an 18-year-old student, missed my English class on particular days until she told me honestly, "because I couldn't afford to miss Kassandra, Sir." Oh, Kassandra, how influential you are! I'm not very interested in watching the famous soap opera, but I'm absolutely positive that Kassandra has stolen millions of Indonesians' attention. The soap opera is aired every Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 11 a.m.

Guess What? JP/msa "Minister of Environment Sarwono Kusumaatmadja and an environmental expert, Emil Salim, should be called the minister and the master of Feng shui, Chinese geomancy," said prominent musician, humorist, cartoonist, businessman and expert on traditional Indonesian herbal medicine Jaya Suprana. "Basically Feng shui is a Chinese teaching on how to live parallel with nature.

Guess What? JP/msa When you see a familiar face but can't grasp the identity, it will most likely turn out to be an actor known for playing different parts. Amoroso Katamsi, well known for his role as General Soeharto, now President, is one of these baffling faces. He has appeared on television, in military gear, for about the last 10 years in the annual rerun of Pengkhianatan G-30-S/PKI (the Sept. 30, 1965 coup attempt by the Indonesian Communist Party), directed by Arifin C.

The festival presents two distict cultures Text and photos by Mulkan Salmona TENGGARONG, East Kalimantan (JP): Saturday, Jan. 21. An unusual air of festivity hangs over Tenggarong, the normally placid capital of the regency of Kutai on the banks of the Mahakam River in East Kalimantan. People mill about in streets and fields surrounding the town's boat landing, their number swells into the thousands as the morning advances. At about noon, a hush falls over the crowd.

Golkar: Hope from the sidelines From Gatra Minister of Information Harmoko has been featured quite frequently on television in the past year. The coverage of his nation-wide visits portrays much cheer and excitement. His message is how much Indonesians have achieved in many fields. These appearances are no doubt inseparable from Harmoko's intention of pushing Indonesians to engage in their respective roles in development.

Guess What? JP/kod Photographer Poriaman Sitanggang and his new wife Fenny have spent the rainy season on a honeymoon with a difference. The couple have been busy placing buckets in every corner of their new house to catch the water leaking through their roof. "We moved in after our wedding last July and the house is already falling apart. Our bathroom is so bad that the ceiling could fall on our heads at any time," Sitanggang told The Jakarta Post.

Subroto appointed as fellow at ISEM NEW YORK (OPECNA): Dr. Subroto, who recently retired as OPEC secretary general, has been appointed a senior fellow at the Institute for the Study of Earth and Man (ISEM), and a distinguished visiting professor in the Department of Economics, at the Southern Methodist University (SMU). A university press release said he would visit the SMU several times each year to participate in conferences relating to energy economics and the energy industry.

MOU on soccer scouting signed JAKARTA (JP): The All Indonesia Soccer Federation and the Ministry of Education and Culture signed a memorandum of understanding on scouting Indonesia's future players. Ministry secretary general Hasan Walinono said the ministry would promote soccer in schools and scout world-class players. Hasan said that seven schools had applied the scouting system. (arf)

Indonesian gold industry lacks talented designers By Rita A. Widiadana JAKARTA (JP): No one knows when gold was first discovered, but it is clear that from ancient times people have prized gold. Archaeologists discovered gold cups and jewelry, crafted as early as 3500 B.C, produced by the people of an ancient civilization at Ur in Mesopotamia (now Iraq). Gold jewelry of the same period were also found in the tombs of Egyptian pharaohs.