Reflexology cures a wide variety of illnesses JAKARTA (JP): Edo grimaced as Sahibi Mudasir massaged his left foot. Edo shook his head, closed his eyes and then opened his mouth. Nothing came out. Mudasir was massaging the young man's foot to cure him of myopia. No ordinary masseur. He is a reflexologist. "In the beginning you will feel a lot of pain, but after you come here several times, you get used to it," Mudasir assured, digging his fingers into his patient's left foot.

Ministers stay away from PCPP initial congress YOGYAKARTA (JP): The Association of Intellectuals for Pancasila Development (PCPP) opened its inaugural congress here yesterday without the presence of a single cabinet minister. The opening ceremony proved anticlimactic due to the extensive media coverage drawn by the group since the announcement of its establishment last July with ringing endorsements from a number of senior government officials. Minister of Home Affairs Moch.

Guess What? Three things bother Daniel Bahari, father and coach of Indonesian boxing champion Pino Bahari, about the coming SEA Games in Chiangmai, Thailand. "First, Chiangmai is a mountain resort, and that means the air pressure is different than here, but the national boxing team is training in Senayan (Jakarta)," he said.

Traditional medicine cures cancer JAKARTA (JP): Ten years ago, a doctor told Risma Abednego that she had cancer. The doctor said she need a hysterectomy because there was no other way to cure the disease. But Risma refused to undergo the operation. "I was scared," Risma, 38, told The Jakarta Post recently. Her mother-in-law, upon reading a magazine article about a traditional healer who was able to cure cancer, suggested that Risma gave it a try.

Rummenigge visits Surabaya JAKARTA (JP): Former German team captain Karl Heinz Rummenigge suggested that Indonesia invite foreign trainers here to better its soccer, instead of sending players off on overseas stints. "It's good to train junior player overseas. But it will be more fruitful if the country invites in well-qualified trainers," he said on Friday in Surabaya, East Java.

Catalog launch a relief for film buffs By T. Sima Gunawan JAKARTA (JP): Most people love movies. Some watch them only once in a while, others everyday. Movie lovers might occasionally watch two or three films in one night, but what do you call someone who watches three films a night all year long? Call him J.B. Kristanto. He watched three films every night for more than a year as part of the research for his book Katalog Film Indonesia 1226- 1995 (Catalog of Indonesian Films 1926-1995).

Wild rafting with 'Scorpions' on Ayung River in Bali By Johannes Simbolon JAKARTA (JP): Supergroup Scorpions from Germany had never gone white-water rafting before. But they got the chance during the recent "Pacific Music Rainbow" songwriters meeting in Bali. The Ayung River, which flows from Mount Batur to Sanur beach, was the first river to give them the experience of rafting.

Athletes hard-pressed to hide drug usage JAKARTA (JP): "He tested negative for drugs but was three- months pregnant" is an old joke of dope testers. But it still made Dangsina Moeloek, the first Indonesian woman specializing in dope testing, laugh when she told it to The Jakarta Post recently. Years ago it was quite easy for athletes to fool dope testers.

Dangsina, Indonesia's first female dope tester By Arif Suryobuwono JAKARTA (JP): Only a privileged few have the authority to watch champion athletes urinate and, when necessary, examine their genitals. One of the few is Dangsina Moeloek, the first Indonesian woman ever to specialize in testing athletes for doping.

Saturday night out on the town for a chat, drink and snacks By Claudine Frederik JAKARTA (JP): Jakarta's nightlife has grown a lot more varied through the years. Witness the sprouting of pubs, discotheques, music rooms and karaoke bars, not to forget the number of new eateries. Entertainment given by local and international music performers is in at the moment with Jakarta's youngsters. But what is the average family doing on an evening out?

Solichin uses art, faith and logic to heal patients By T. Sima Gunawan JAKARTA (JP): Art transcends consciousness to allow people to find peace and spiritual happiness. For Ahmad Afif Solichin, an artist and healer, art means love and is the source of happiness. Solichin expresses his love in his "spiritual drawings", which he makes for his patients.

Guess What? Famous poet and playwright W.S. Rendra celebrated his 60th birthday last Tuesday. The flamboyant poet, popularly known as si Burung Merak (peacock), said he rarely stages a birthday party but this time was different. "For a Javanese man, 60 is an important age. This is the time for introspection.

Old soldier Wismoyo retires but he is not fading away MAGELANG, Central Java (JP): Gen. Wismoyo Arismunandar and 60 other senior ranking Army officers were given a fitting military farewell at the National Military Academy yesterday as they formally began retirement from service. For Wismoyo, the most senior in the pack, at least in terms of rank, another big battle awaits just around the corner.

TV today TVRI 7:00 a.m. Morning News 7:30 Healthy and Fit with Berty Tilarso 7:40 TV Series: Space Keteers 8:05 Children's Program: Panggung Gembira Anak 8:35 Children's Stories 9:00 People and Events 9:30 Comedy: Ria Jenaka 9:45 Music 10:45 Youth Program 11:15 Tata Rias 11:45 Sports: Dari Gelanggang Ke Gelanggang 12:45 Music 1:15 p.m.

Is technology really the best way? JAKARTA (JP): It seems that I created an uproar the last time I was in the U.S. You see, I had heard that I could get the old fashioned kind of gramophone needles in the antique shops there. But whenever I asked for them, people would laugh at me and often add: "You still use the old fashioned gramophone?

Indonesia strives to dominate rowing JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia plans to maintain its winning streak at the 18th Southeast Asian Games traditional boat races despite the unfamiliar sculls. "There is no reasons for a humble showing, although we will use longer and heavier sculls," chairman of the Indonesian Rowing Association, Basoeki, said during an international boat races at Ancol, North Jakarta, yesterday.

Security tightened as strike cripples Bangladesh DHAKA (Reuter): Heavily armed security men chased protesters and took up position across the Bangladesh capital Dhaka yesterday as a day long strike virtually paralyzed this city of nine million, witnesses said. The strike, which began at 6 a.m., also shut down other main cities, including the port of Chittagong, and largely disrupted life in rural areas, they said.

Assessing Taiwan's 'southward policy' Samuel C.Y. Ku analyses whether Taiwan has bitten off more than it can chew in striving for a diplomatic breakthrough in Southeast Asia. In November 1993, Taiwan launched its "Southward Policy". According to an "Operation Outline", enunciated in March 1994, the Southward Policy intends to achieve four key objectives. The first objective is to expand two-way economic, trading and investment relations with Southeast Asian countries.

Traditional healing: Is it effective? As the appeal to get back to nature grows stronger, more and more people are turning to alternative healing and medicine. Does this truly heal? The Jakarta Post discusses this issue in conjunction with National Health Day, which falls today. More stories on Page 6.

Boarding houses make a fortune for the Betawi people By Imran Rusli JAKARTA (JP): Room and board. Just the space dedicated to it in the city's classified ads gives the two words a familiar ring. The Pos Kota daily, for example, runs an average of 40 ads a day. Running a boarding house is the favorite income earner of Jakarta's indigenous Betawi because it doesn't require any special skills. No need to master English or computers. It's a simple business.

Less euphoric about APEC's Osaka summit The distracting domestic political agendas of the United States and Australia have brought a new sober reality to the notion of economic cooperation in the Asia-Pacific. Stephen Leong analyses the issue. Japan is in a quandary over APEC.

Tracking back the years: A catalog of local films Katalog Film Indonesia 1926-1995 J.B. Kristanto PT Grafiasri Mukti, Jakarta, 1995 xvii, 425.; 21x27 cm, index JAKARTA (JP): "Film is a social document," according to J.B. Kristanto. Based on this, Kristanto takes us on a 426 page journey, running through 2261 Indonesian film titles from 1926 to 1995. Reading this work should be like flipping through space to visit bygone places, people and social settings. Unfortunately, it isn't.