PPP chairman turns tough as 1997 polls near By Santi WE Soekanto JAKARTA (JP): "I want to create a calm, peaceful and serene situation within the United Development Party," Ismail Hasan Metareum said in 1989, when he was first elected chairman of this Moslem-based party. He repeated the pledge when he was re-elected in 1994, pointing out time and again that a leadership doesn't have to be marked with noisy rhetorics in order to be effective.

Military secures release of 11 of the 24 hostages JAKARTA (JP): The military said yesterday it has secured the release of 11 of the 24 hostages abducted last Monday by the Free Papua Movement (OPM), an armed separatist movement in Irian Jaya. "They were unharmed," Armed Forces Chief Spokesman Brig. Gen. Suwarno Adiwijoyo told Antara yesterday. All of the 11 released were Irianese.

TV today TVRI 7:00 a.m. Morning News 7:30 Healthy and Fit 7:40 TV Series: Speed Keteers 8:05 Children Program: Panggung Cerita Anak 8:35 Children Stories 9:00 People and Events 9:30 Comedy: Ria Jenaka 9:45 Music: Album Kita 10:45 Youth Program: Temu Remaja 11:15 Performance: Make Up 12:45 p.m.

Jakarta braves biggest flood since independence By Johannes Simbolon JAKARTA (JP): The flood is over, leaving mud, wrecked houses, and trauma in the minds of victims. On Wednesday, when the Ciliwung river which rose out of its banks last Saturday had returned to normal levels, Sobaruddin, a conductor for the PPD state bus firm, who lives in Kramat Jati district, East Jakarta stood dejectedly, arms akimbo, in front of his house.

Order in Pasar Minggu From Jayakarta The area around the Pasar Minggu bus terminal in South Jakarta looked rather orderly on Friday. Although it was still crowded with a huge number of public transport vehicles, the drivers behaved well. No vehicle were stopping and waiting for passengers at the terminal exit and as a result the vehicles queuing behind did not have to wait long. Usually, many buses and minibuses stop to wait for passengers at the exit, causing a serious jam.

Dakon board game suffers from influx of high-tech games By A. Ariobimo Nusantara JAKARTA (JP): Modernization has brought a lot of changes, not only to big, important issues, such as a nation's economic policies but also to small, seemingly unimportant matters, like toys and games. In place of traditional toys and games, today's children, particularly those living in big cities, are more familiar with modern toys and games.

PPP changes its course at last By Santi WE Soekanto The United Development Party, established on Jan. 5, 1973, puts on a big bash in Surabaya today. The party is changing its strategy to garner new voters for the 1997 general election. The Jakarta Post presents the following story and another article on Page 2.

Propagation Islam thru culture Sunan Ampel's way SURABAYA (JP): It is said that more than five centuries ago, Sunan Kalijaga suggested to the other Walis, charismatic religious teachers who disseminated Islam in Java, imbue the teaching with local culture such as selamatan, preparing and offering food as thanksgiving to the powers that be. Sunan Ampel then expressed his concern. "Won't that be a problem in the future?

1995 saw progress in gamelan music world By Zoel Mistortoify PRAMBANAN, Yogyakarta (JP): The end of 1995 saw an important step in the world of gamelan music with the organizing of the International Gamelan Festival II and a seminar focused on the future of karawitan (the art of gamelan play and singing) education. The festival, held in Prambanan, Yogyakarta, was opened by Vice President Try Sutrisno and closed by Coordinating Minister for Political Affairs and Security Soesilo Soedarman.

El Aynaoui stuns defending champ Paul Haarhuis JAKARTA (JP): Younes El Aynaoui of Morocco upset defending champion Paul Haarhuis to prevent an all Netherlands final at the Indosiar Men's Open tennis championships yesterday. El Aynaoui toppled Haarhuis 6-3, 7-6 (7-4), 6-3 to reach his second successive final of the year. He will now take on another Dutchman, Sjeng Schalken, his conqueror in an ATP tournament in Casablanca last year.

Floods in Jakarta From Republika I am only what metropolitan people call an orang udik (humble villager), but when I saw the reports, both in the printed and electronic media, about floods in Jakarta, the capital of this republic, I was deeply touched. Believe it or not, but Jakarta, which is the seat of government, was flooded. It's sad. But why the reports about flooding? Why is it only recently have I heard about floods in Jakarta? Wasn't there any flooding before?

'Busana Muslim' style forges a fashionable future By Dini S. Djalal JAKARTA (JP): As the month of Ramadhan inches closer on the calender year, Indonesian designers are busy feeding market demands for Busana Muslim, or Moslem fashions. "Ramadhan is always the peak of our business year. Our orders usually multiply by four times," said Busana Muslim designer Feni Mustafa. That means tailors work around the clock to produce up to 3,000 ensembles.

IAIN Sunan Ampel facing more complicated challenges By Ainur R. Sophiaan SURABAYA (JP): The first state university encountered after leaving Juanda Airport is the Sunan Ampel Institute for Islamic Studies. Strategically located on one of this city's thoroughfares, Jl. Ahmad Yani, the institute stands proudly on a nine-hectare plot of land. Some people believe that this institute for Islamic studies, or IAIN, is one of the few prestigious campuses in East Java.

Malaysia's satellite launched KUALA LUMPUR (AFP): Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad yesterday hailed the successful launch of the country's first communications satellite as a major step in the country's bid to attain developed status. "The launch is another important stride in our plan to achieve industrialized status by 2020," Mahathir said after witnessing the launch over a live television broadcast here.

Sunan Ampel Mosque a witness to religious devotion By Santi W.E. Soekanto and Wisnu Pramudya SURABAYA (JP): It's 3:50 a.m. Only minutes before the call for the subuh (dawn) prayer was sounded by the muezzin of the Sunan Ampel Mosque. An elderly woman with mukena (white cloak worn for prayer) fingered her prayer beads so rapidly that her movement looked fluid. Eyes closed tightly, she was lost in her devotion.

Heidi Auwy a talented local harpist By Veronica Soediro JAKARTA (JP): Her face hasn't changed much from when it was splashed across Indonesia by the media more than 10 years ago. So many pictures were published of Indonesia's pioneer harpist Heidi Auwy, mostly of her standing beside her harp looking very angelic. Heidi was a high school graduate who introduced the harp into Indonesia. At the time it was unpopular in the Indonesian classical world of music.

Change sought in SE Asia nuclear free pact BANGKOK (Reuter): The United States was seeking changes in a southeast Asian nuclear weapons free zone pact to address worries it had about rights of navigation in the region, a U.S. official said yesterday. Winston Lord, a U.S.

5,000 homeless after fire sweeps crowded slum By Wahyudi M. Pratopo JAKARTA (JP): The fire that razed 2,000 houses in Muara Baru, Penjaringan, North Jakarta, has been extinguished, but the anguish remains. Not only has the fire destroy the homes and possessions of about 5,000 people, it has also separated loved ones. "I am looking for my son, have you seen him?" Yati, 33, asked the people milling about at the fire site yesterday.