Reptile fever strikes Jakartan pet owners By Johannes Simbolon JAKARTA (JP): Bintang, a 21-year-old university student, found out that reptiles were good pets after visiting a display by reptile sellers held early in January at Pondok Indah Mall. Now he has three snakes at home; a 1.5-meter long python, and two little snakes locally called lare angon (striped keel back). He wants to buy more.

Three-in-one kids I have watched with interest the latest action against the "3- in-1" kids and now read in your newspaper that they may be partially controlled by preman and, even worse, contributing to the dreaded social unrest. Yikes! If the authorities are so concerned with keeping cars with less than three persons in the vehicle out of the forbidden zones, why not take a look at other options rather than stubbornly insisting that the 3-in-1 folks are the problem.

Media relations should not be overlooked By Wisaksono Noeradi JAKARTA (JP): Institutions are continuously expanding their operations, developing new products and services, or opening up promising markets, both at home and overseas. Some institutions, in fact, seem to be doing just fine without any sort of organized, ongoing public relations strategy. Many of their executives insist that they don't even really need media relations strategy because things are going well.

Vegetarian dishes with an Indonesian twist By Syamala Monie JAKARTA (JP): On a recent holiday in Bali, my husband, my two grown children and I were relaxing on the little balcony outside our cottage. Each had a cup of kopi Bali, which is strong and tangy and best with a dash of sugar and lime and no milk. The morning sun was bright, making it difficult to believe that it was just 5:30 a.m. We were wondering what to have for breakfast, when we saw a man selling something in conical packets.

Beware of brain infection LONDON (Reuter): Doctors recommended on Friday that tourists visiting the Indonesian island of Bali should get vaccinations against Japanese encephalitis, a severe brain infection carried by mosquitoes. In a letter to the Lancet medical journal Dr. Bengt Wittesjo of Central Hospital in Karlskrona, Sweden and U.S. Army researchers described the case of a 60-year old woman who came down with Japanese encephalitis after visiting Bali.

Govt increases reference prices of cement JAKARTA (JP): The government, under pressure from producers, raised the reference prices of cement across the country by an average of 40 percent over the weekend in an effort to attract more investment in the cement industry. Lily Rosyana, spokeswoman for the Ministry of Trade, said that the new reference prices, effective from Friday, are expected to drive investors licensed to build cement plants to materialize their investment plans soon.

Guess What? Daniel Sahuleka Ambonese singer Daniel Sahuleka, who is now a citizen of the Netherlands, graced the stage at Erasmus Huis, the Dutch Cultural Center, early this week. But instead of singing, he searched his jeans's pockets and then his shirts' pockets. He looked confused, then he said to the audience "aku lupa dompetku, aku cari dompet dulu yah (I forgot my wallet, I'll find it first)." He left the stage, leaving the audience delirious with laughter.

India-RI ties: From estrangement to cooperation Dipankar Banerjee sketches some emerging trends in the relations between India and Southeast Asia through the rubric of Indonesia. "Estranged neighbors", is how one would describe India and Indonesia. For three long decades both countries had little to do with each other. Yet, these two large, adjacent countries, second and fourth largest respectively in the world by population, were bound in the past by deep and strong ties.

Guess What? Asrul Sani Prominent scholar and film director Asrul Sani, who was invited to talk at the launching of Prahara Budaya (Cultural Calamity) in Jakarta last week, objected to the term "lecture" used by the organizing committee. "I won't lecture. I will just ngobrol (talk casually)," he said. Asrul was supposed to deliver a speech on the Conference of All-Indonesian Writers (KKPI), which took place in Jakarta between March 1 and 7, 1964.

TV today TVRI 7:00 a.m. Morning News 7:30 Healthy and Fresh 7:40 TV Series: Vicky The Viking 8:05 Around Us 8:35 Children's Program 9:00 People and Events 9:30 Comedy: Ria Jenaka 9:45 Music 10:45 Youth Program 11:15 Search For The World 11:45 Sports: Dari Gelanggang Ke Gelanggang 12:45 p.m.

Communist cultural calamity has gone, but ... By T. Sima Gunawan JAKARTA (JP): Little Taufiq Ismail had a big dream of becoming a great writer, but he enrolled in the veterinary and farming department at the University of Indonesia because he realized it was hard to earn a living as an author. "I was just being realistic. I knew the life of a writer was difficult.

RI ambassador dies JAKARTA (JP): The body of Indonesia's ambassador to Hungary, Soelaeman Pringgodigdo, who died in Budapest on Thursday, is scheduled to arrive at Jakarta's Sukarno-Hatta airport at 2:30 pm today on a Garuda Indonesia flight. Soelaeman's body will then be brought to his brother's house at the University of Indonesia lecturers' housing complex in Rawamangun, East Jakarta, before being buried at the family cemetery in Cibatok village just outside Bogor, West Java.

Here 'prosciutto' means salami JAKARTA (JP): Guess what? I went to Pondok Indah Mall for the first time ever. Me, who's been giving you the impression that all I do is jaunt around this fair capital. But it's true, I've never ever been to the mall because I would have to travel through kilometers of Jakarta's beastly traffic, and mammoth malls leave me... well... "cold" isn't exactly the word, but its close.

Guess What? Emil Salim What is the most useful plant in the world? "Bamboo," insisted Emil Salim, former minister of population and environment. All parts of bamboo are beneficial. It can be used for building, thatching roofs and as a cure for asthma. Bamboo also plays an important part in various environmental projects. "Westerners may be surprised to know that Indonesians also eat bamboo," laughed Salim, who is currently active in the Bambu Lingkungan Lestari Foundation.

Virtual museum a door to ASEAN collections By Amir Sidharta JAKARTA (JP): Those familiar with "the corridor" in Michael Crichton's Disclosure will be able to imagine the ultimate experience of accessing museum exhibits through a computer. Some time in the future, as virtual reality technology progresses, it will be possible to walk through a museum and see simulated exhibits from a virtual reality station in your own room.

Rain delays Indonesia's Davis Cup victory JAKARTA (JP): Rain should be blamed for delaying Indonesia's Davis Cup victory celebration. With a resounding 2-0 lead over Chinese Taipei, Indonesia could have wrapped up the Davis Cup Asia Oceania play-off matches with an unassailable lead, when a heavy downpour halted the winning run of Asian Games doubles bronze medalists Donny Susetyo and Teddy Tanjung.

Copying: Development strategy in garment business Text and photos by Benito Lopulalan DENPASAR (JP): Garment copying is big business in Asia these days. Hong Kong and South Korean industrialists started the trend in the 1970s and ever since profits have been impressive; so much so that garment companies in several other Asian countries have had to reevaluate their design and production strategies.

Soeharto begins visit in Germany JAKARTA (JP): President Soeharto arrived in Hannover yesterday to start a six-day state visit to Germany aimed chiefly at promoting economic and trade relations between the two countries. The highlight of his visit will be to open the large Hannover Industrial Fair together with his host, Chancellor Helmut Kohl, today.

Singapore's 'Straits Times' celebrates 150 years By Lenah Susianty SINGAPORE (JP): No one would think that a newspaper published by an Armenian merchant to carry commercial news on cargo ships to the port of Singapore 150 years ago could survive and become one of the oldest and richest newspapers in the world. The Straits Times, with a current print run of 370,000 copies a day, is not only Singapore's leading daily but also a living witness to Singaporean history since 1845.

Bali shuts down on Day of Silence JAKARTA (JP): The Island of Bali, Indonesia's most famous holiday destination, virtually turned into a ghost town yesterday as the predominantly Hindu islanders observed the Day of Silence. The streets were deserted except for the few licensed buses driving tourists around and emergency vehicles. The usual hustle and bustle was replaced by an almost deafening silence. The streets were deserted and the heavy pollution from vehicle exhaust lifted.

Orlane, for a wedding no one will forget By Dini S. Djalal JAKARTA (JP): Glitz and glamour, pomp and circumstance: that's what weddings should be all about, according to bridal salons. People also often add that one's wedding should be "something you will always remember." At the Orlane Bridal Salon show "Timeless Romance 1995", held on March 15 at Grand Hyatt Jakarta, there were plenty of gowns fit for a queen. "The 'back to nature' trend has made brides look as boring as their guests.

Indonesia still dreams of a new architectural paradigm By Bambang Eryudhawan JAKARTA (JP): Indonesian cities are still being built according to the old paradigm of horizontal city development. This decentralized pattern causes urban sprawl and, sooner or later, the borders of cities will overlap. The relationship between a town and a village, according to their respective roles in an ecosystem, tends to be disadvantageous to the villages.

Doohan gears up Malaysian GP bid SHAH ALAM, Malaysia (AFP): World champion Michael Doohan set a new lap record and took provisional pole during Friday's practice for the Malaysian motorcycle grand prix here. After an impressive win in the season's opening race in Eastern Creek, Australia, last week, Doohan powered his Honda machine around the 3.505-kilometer (2.19-mile) Shah Alam track to clock the best time of 1min 25. 059sec.

More about workers' future I am writing regarding the letter of Mr. Roland Pertler (The Jakarta Post, March 26, 1995). There they come again. Five minutes out of the plane and they already know (and have the solution for) all the problems of the developing country they just arrive in. The last time a German told the workers to unite, a part of Europe was plunged into 70 years of grizzly dictatorship. Former Eastern Germany included. Just look to the former USSR to see the results.

Picking winners or subsidizing losers? Hal Hill examines Indonesia's experience with industrial policy. One of the most important intellectual challenges of the late 20th century is to understand the bases of East Asia's rapid economic growth. A key element is undoubtedly the role of trade and industry policy.

Even castaways frown on junk mail By Myra Sidharta JAKARTA (JP): Life on a small island can be very lonesome with the only link to the outside world being the mail. I experienced this as a little girl. Mail then meant surface mail, not airmail and certainly not E-mail or facsimiles. When I speak of my childhood I refer to, as the Dutch would say, van voor de oorlog, those people who were born before World War II.

Gusti Made Karya on the art of duplicating DENPASAR (JP): The house in the village of Bonakaja in Gianyar regency looks like small-scale factory. An open space in the garden for sun-drying the thread, a small, one square-meter cement pond in a corner for dying thread, and a big space, walled on two sides with a metal roof, where nine young women do the weaving. Gusti Made Karya, the owner, has been in the traditional garment business for seven years.