Dr. Sundhaussen has an affection for ABRI By Dewi Anggraeni MELBOURNE, Australia (JP): Dr. Ulf Sundhaussen, the author of The Road to Power: Indonesian Military Politics 1945-1967, is genial and oozes compassion. Not only does he have an intimate knowledge of the Indonesian Armed Forces, he also has an obvious affection for the institution. Currently Associate Professor in Comparative Government at the University of Queensland in Australia, Dr.

ABRI, from war machine to big business bureaucrats By Johannes Simbolon JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian timber industry recently experienced an important event. In June, PT International Timber Corporation Indonesia (ITCI) took over 280,000 hectares of forest concessions from PT Kayan River Timber Product in East Kalimantan, bringing the concessions of ITCI to a total of 800,000 hectares. Kayan River had reportedly failed to manage its concessions properly.

ABRI's political role to decline in degree Noted political scholar Juwono Sudarsono, who is also the deputy governor of the National Resilience Institute (Lemhanas), was recently guest speaker at a discussion on the future of the Armed Forces' Dwi Fungsi (Dual Function) held at The Jakarta Post. The following is an excerpt of his presentation. JAKARTA (JP): ABRI has become the victim of its own success in upholding political stability.

ABRI still plays vital role If there is one institution in modern Indonesia which towers above all others in importance, it is the Armed Forces. The Indonesian Armed Forces constitutes an institution that is far more than a standing force with a command structure; it is the soul of the nation and the largest political organization in the country. -- Michael R.J.

Fostering intellectuals ABRI's biggest challenge By Ahmed Kurnia Soeriawidjaja JAKARTA (JP): According to military observer Dr. Amir Santoso, human resources is a major issue the military must anticipate. Former Army chief of staff Gen. (ret.) Rudini cautions that ABRI's future challenges will be quite formidable as the situation will be much different from today. "This is due to political demand and greater public awareness of democracy," Rudini told The Jakarta Post.

What they say about the role of ABRI JAKARTA (JP): Roni, final-year student of the law faculty of Universitas 17 Augustus: "The Indonesian Armed Forces (ABRI) is actually born of the people, so -- practically -- it should be there for the people. But nowadays we have the impression that ABRI has become the tool of the government. For example, in land cases: Why should it be the agency for the coordination of support for national stability and development which deals with those cases?

Supreme Court upholds Bapindo case verdicts JAKARTA (JP): The Supreme Court is upholding all verdicts passed by lower courts against a businessman and four bankers for the massive loan scandal that nearly brought state-owned Bank Pembangunan Indonesia (Bapindo) to its knees.

Is Indonesia's fear of communism still relevant? JAKARTA (JP): Today, for the 30th year, Indonesians are marking Pancasila Commemorative Day, the victory of Pancasila over communism. The triumph followed the Sept. 30, 1965, bloody coup attempt blamed on the Indonesian Communist Party (PKI). Since then, the country has been gripped by a phobia about communism although the PKI was outlawed that same year.

Alatas upset at Spring's Timor words DUBLIN (AFP): Indonesian Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Alatas has accused his Irish counterpart of publicly attacking his country in a manner that was "almost like a declaration of war," according to press reports here. Alatas said Irish Foreign Minister Dick Spring had attacked Indonesia over its policy in the former Portuguese colony of East Timor, according to The Irish Times on Friday.

14 die in RP typhoon MANILA (Reuter): Typhoon Sybil swept across southern Philippines yesterday, wrecking homes, forcing hundreds of families to flee and triggering landslides that killed 14 people, officials said. Eight others were injured as the typhoon grounded aircraft and lashed ships moored in harbor. Residents in Valencia, Bukidnon, 850 Km (530 miles) south of Manila, said they heard whirling sounds and a sudden explosion as landslides struck the area during heavy rains, police said.

Ancient temple group hidden in Padang Lawas plain By Bambang Budi Utomo SOUTH TAPANULI, North Sumatra (JP): Sumatra is a large island of many mysteries, including that of its archeology. Few people know that there are three temple groupings on the island, scattered over the provinces of Jambi, Riau and North Sumatra. Of the three, the temple grouping in North Sumatra is the least known.

Guess What? JAKARTA (JP): Who would have thought that Atie Wardiman Djojonegoro, wife of Minister of Education and culture Wardiman Djojonegoro, loves to read Asterix comics? She told The Jakarta Post at the opening ceremony of a book exhibition last week that she started reading the comic strip when she was studying German. "I love Asterix," said Atie, who is a lecturer of clinical pharmacology at the School of Medicine at Padjadjaran University in Bandung.

Hotel Serai blends naturally into Bali landscape By Kunang Helmi Picard DENPASAR (JP): Getting away from the crowds in the Paradise of Bali is everyone's dream, but sometimes folks from home seem to share a vacation with you. What are Mr. and Mrs. Smith doing here? And Bali was meant to be the perfect hideaway on the other side of the globe, or at least an island's length away! Wasn't Candi Dasa supposed to be really secluded, far from Kuta, Legian and all those tourists?

Let's Talk It Over One cannot but admire the U.S. First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton. She could really relax and enjoy the privileges and luxuries that go along with the august office of the president of the world's most powerful nation. Instead, she chooses to trot around the globe to get a first-hand account of the peoples' lives all over. The Talk It Over column by HIllary Clinton, featured every Sunday, is a welcome addition to The Jakarta Post.

Special team to probe police aircraft crash JAKARTA (JP): The National Police Force has formed a special team to investigate the aircraft crash, which killed all six police officers aboard, on Friday. National Police Force spokesman Brig. Gen. I Ketut Ratta announced on Saturday, after attending a ceremony at the police headquarters to honor the six officers, that bad weather is among the factors believed to have led to the accident.

Nurjanah By Jujur Prananto It seems like everybody had lost control. Long whistles shrieked endlessly. The spotlight had changed to red. The sound of the drum beating was thunderous. As soon as the sound of the flute became audible, dozens of spectators screamed ferociously. With a light stamping, Nurjanah jumped onto the stage. Once her feet landed on the stage, her body, clad in a tight sparkling red dress, span once and then stopped, facing the audience in a deep bow.

Guess What? Australian singer Rick Price might not have thought that he would have to kiss so many girls during an hour-long meeting with his Indonesian fans at Bentara Budaya in Central Jakarta on Wednesday. Around 100 fans, mostly teenage girls, made use of the occasion organized by Hai teen magazine, not only to ask for an autograph, but also for a kiss. One by one the girls, who stood in line for an autograph, bluntly asked Price for a kiss.

Who's in charge here, please? JAKARTA (JP): Mike Royko, a Chicago Tribune columnist, once suggested in the Pacific Stars and Stripes that before a couple say "I do" they should sign a prenuptial agreement on who would control the TV remote. Otherwise, the family would later be at each other's throats for control of the TV, he reasoned. This suggestion would have sounded ridiculous in Indonesia six years ago. Who gives a damn about a remote control when there is only one TV station?

Geopolitical realignment begins in the Asia-Pacific region Derek da Cunha examines the prospects for strategic shifts in the Asia-Pacific. Conventional wisdom has it that strategic, rather than economic, imperatives were probably the more instrumental in Vietnam's recent entry into the ASEAN fold.

Bomb threat detours Garuda plane flight JAKARTA (JP): A Garuda Indonesia aircraft en route from Munich to Medan and Denpasar made an unscheduled 5.5-hour stopover at Bucharest's Otopeni airport on Friday due to a bomb threat. After a thorough check, the plane left Bucharest early yesterday for Medan in North Sumatra with all its passengers safe. Garuda spokesman Jansius Siahaan told reporters here that the plane, flight number GA-999, left Bucharest for Medan yesterday at 3:50 a.m.

Aspac snatches basketball crown JAKARTA (JP): Aspac of Jakarta needed a deciding three-pointer from Mohammad Rifky to claim the Kobatama national basketball league championship title with a dramatic 73-70 win over defending champion Hadtex of Bandung here yesterday. The two arch rivals were looking at the strong possibility of extra time with a 70-70 deadlock, when with just three seconds left Rifky flipped the ball into the basket from a meter outside Hadtex's defensive court.

Guess What? Being a key person in a strategic position means one has to always be careful in what one does or says. Minister/State Secretary Moerdiono is one good example. He always takes time before answering any questions, carefully selecting his words and expressions before making comments on state and political issues. "I'd like to know first, whether there are reporters here.

Bandung Catholic University Choir I am not normally given to writing in, unlike a number of your regular but tiresome contributors to the letters column. However, I was so impressed by last weekend's performance at the Erasmus Huis of the Bandung Catholic University Choir that I would like to make other interested readers aware of their existence. In an environment not always noted for its pursuit of excellence, it was heartening to come across a team of people so clearly dedicated to quality.

Profile of a Foreign Minister Adam Malik, who served as Indonesian foreign minister during the turbulent years of 1966 to 1977 and as Indonesian vice- president between 1978 and 1983, was undoubtedly the most versatile and colorful foreign minister ever known in the history of our republic. Born in Tapanuli, Sumatra, more than half a century ago, he passed away on Sept. 5, 1984.

Guess What? If ever the young business tycoon Pontjo Sutowo is out of a job, which seems very unlikely at present, he will certainly soon find something else to occupy his time with: interpreting for foreigners. Pontjo, the executive organizer of the ongoing Istiqlal Festival of Islamic Arts and Culture, assisted a senior journalist from London, MH Faruqi, at a meeting with the press on Wednesday after the hired interpreter failed in his job.

Malaysia's Allay Ong named ASC president JAKARTA (JP): Allay Ong of Malaysia took a unanimous vote to win the chair of the Asian Shooting Federation (ASC) for the next four years in Kuta, Bali, on Friday night. All 20 delegates participating in the election favored Ong's succeeding Indonesian Edi Sudradjat. ASC limits a president to serving only one four-year term.

Bangkok Bank beats Persib 1-0 JAKARTA (JP): Bangkok Bank scored a late goal to gain a consolation win over Indonesian league champion Persib Bandung 1- 0 at the Siliwangi stadium in the Asian Champions' Cup 1995 East Asia group in Bandung, West Java, yesterday. Bangkok Bank's Amarit struck the lone goal during a scrimmage just half a minute before regulation time ended, forcing host Persib to scramble aggressively in the dying seconds.