Last Wednesday a blue day for Rendra 'the peacock' By Johannes Simbolon JAKARTA (JP): Rendra, whose poetry reading usually stuns his hundreds of fans, fell flat last Wednesday amid protests. Wednesday's show at the Graha Bakti Budaya auditorium in the Taman Ismail Marzuki Arts Center that was marred by some youngsters who tried in vain to make a fuss, crying "Long Live Tempo!" and "Go to Hell with Gatra". The show was sponsored by Gatra.

Harley riders born to be wild... but not always violent By T. Sima Gunawan JAKARTA (JP): The name Harley-Davidson is often associated with roughness, long hair, black leather jackets and violence. Well, that is quite understandable since those things are usually associated with the motorbikes in the movies. And, undeniably, some Harley riders really are ferocious.

More Malaysian booters banned for life KUALA LUMPUR (AFP): The football association of Malaysia's northern Kedah state has banned five players for life for match fixing as officials stepped up bids to clean up Malaysian soccer, news reports said yesterday. Kedah's move followed a similar punishment unprecedentedly meted out on Wednesday by the national Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) on six players from eastern Sabah state.

Try closes second Istiqlal Festival JAKARTA (JP): Vice President Try Sutrisno closed the two-month long second Istiqlal Festival of Islamic Arts and Culture during an impressive ceremony at the Grand Istiqlal Mosque last night. Starting with the reading of the Koran and closed with songs and dances by the Bimbo group, the closing ceremony was attended by a number of cabinet ministers, Jakarta Governor Surjadi Soedirdja, foreign ambassadors to Indonesia and thousands of people.

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 Pariwisata Program: Hasanah Bangsa 8:35 Children Stories 9:00 People and Events 9:30 Comedy: Ria Jenaka 9:45 Indonesian Music: Album Kita 10:45 Youth Program: Temu Remaja 11:45 Sports: Dari Gelanggang Ke Gelanggang 1:15 p.m.

Politics comes before economics at APEC meeting By Endy M. Bayuni OSAKA, Japan (JP): Political and security issues come before economics at a gathering of the leaders of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum, although they are discussed on the sidelines, rather than in the forum proper.

Sarinah shopping center survives tough competition By Ahmed Kurnia Soeriawidjaja JAKARTA (JP): The Sarinah shopping center, a 14-story building on Jl. MH Thamrin in Central Jakarta, was a symbol of modernization and affluence when it was built in 1963. Sarinah was the first Indonesian shopping center equipped with air conditioning and taught many Jakartans the skill of getting on an escalator. It became a tourist site, a place where people with limited funds could at least sightsee if not shop.

Shopping malls turn into recreational sites A few years ago, Jakarta experienced a mega-shopping mall boom. How is the situation today? Is it feasible to develop new shopping malls? The Jakarta Post looks into the issue. More stories on Page 7. By Rita A. Widiadana and Sri Wahyuni JAKARTA (JP): Shopping malls have recently become popular recreational sites for Jakartans. Ten years ago, a shopping center with only a department store, a supermarket and small shops could attract crowds.

Roekmini dares to speak the truth By T. Sima Gunawan JAKARTA (JP): People with great spirit usually get upset when they retire, but not Brig. Gen. (ret.) Roekmini Koesoemo Astoeti. She has enjoyed greater freedom to speak up after retiring from the police force in 1993. Roekmini, 57, is a member of the National Commission of Human Rights, which she joined early last year. From 1982 to 1992 she was a member of the House of Representatives.

Balinese children dance for spiritual life, money Text and photos by Intan Petersen DENPASAR, Bali (JP): Ni Luh is eight years old and very shy. It is 9 p.m. and the sleepy girl would have already been in bed if she didn't have to dance. She sits with her chin leaning on her hand. Sometime she smiles, but carefully, mindful of her glossy pink lipstick. The golden headdress perched on top of her head obviously strains her.

Christie's auction opposed BANGKOK (DPA): A Thai princess who says she is heir to hundreds of royal letters to be auctioned by Christie's later this month has flown to London to try to stop the sale, news reports said yesterday. Christie's sale of autographed letters and manuscripts set for Nov. 29 includes more than 400 letters written by members of the Thai royal family a century ago, including one of the country's most revered monarchs, King Chulalongkorn.

Some shopping centers fail amid tight battle JAKARTA (JP): Many shopping centers have lagged behind the rapid growth in the Indonesian retail industry because they lack proper strategy and creativity. Some shopping centers, like Ratu Plaza and Aldiron Plaza in South Jakarta, and Menteng Plaza and Atrium Plaza in Central Jakarta, now struggle to draw tenants let alone shoppers. In the l980s, Ratu Plaza was a prestigious shopping center where Jakarta's most affluent customers spent their money.

Bold strategy needed to attract potential customers By Rita A. Widiadana and Sri Wahyuni JAKARTA (JP): Shopping centers in Jakarta are racing to upgrade their appearances and services to draw more tenants and, most importantly, customers. Plaza Indonesia, owned by PT Plaza Indonesia Realty, has set up a strategy to improve services to both customers and tenants. "We have just finished our total renovation project," Sylvia R. Ratulangie, the corporate secretary of the company, said.

Big bikes fashionable among urbanities JAKARTA (JP): Ten years ago Yusuf Chandra bought an old motorcycle from a scrap dealer for Rp 50,000 (US$22.80) and turned it into a precious vintage machine which is now worth more than Rp 50 million ($22,800). Yusuf is not a magician. Aged 64, he is a skillful Harley- Davidson mechanic. As a matter of fact, he is one of the pioneers of the Harley-Davidson Club of Indonesia.

Indonesians like athletes' village By Robert Soelistyo CHIANG MAI, Thailand (JP): Seeing is believing. This saying expresses what the Indonesian team of sports officials visiting the athletes village for the Dec. 9 to Dec. 17, 18th Southeast Asian Games feel. 1993 SEA Games champion Indonesia, in its efforts to retain the title, has sent ahead a six-member Games advanced team to submit the names of its athletes and to inspect the athletes' village.

Col. Prabowo to head Kopassus special forces JAKARTA (JP): Col. Prabowo Subianto, 43, will head Indonesia's special forces (Kopassus) next month to become the country's youngest general in the last decade. Prabowo, son-in-law of President Soeharto, will be promoted to brigadier general when he replaces Kopassus chief Brigadier General Subagyo Hadi Siswoyo on Dec. 1. Subagyo will be moved to head the Diponegoro military region in Central Java, once under Soeharto's leadership in the 1950s.

Jakarta needs its billboards From Bisnis Indonesia Jakarta has become less attractive ever since the city administration announced a 200 percent hike in taxes for billboards and name boards recently. Many owners have removed their billboards and name boards from high-rise buildings following the announcement of the tax hike to avoid higher taxes. This is because the higher the billboards and name boards are, the higher the taxes get.

Wholesale centers still popular among visitors By Imran Rusli JAKARTA (JP): Pasar Pagi has changed. Its image as a crowded, stifling, crummy, noisy and disorderly wholesale center has faded. Since officially occupying its new location on Jalan Raya Mangga Dua almost six years ago, Pasar Pagi has acquired a different look. The 83,000-square-meter building on a 2.1-hectare plot was designed to allow air to circulate smoothly through the ventilation channels.

Not Baygon This is to refer to your article The elusive ethics of Indonesian advertising written by T. Sima Gunawan which appeared on your newspaper on Sunday, Nov. 5. In this article, you stated that "A TV commercial for Baygon mosquito coils has a popular artist boasting that the product 'smells good'." Then you went on to say that this visualization is misleading because of the harmful fumes from the burning mosquito coil.