Young artists push for glass painting revival SURAKARTA, Central Java (JP): Although contemporary batik paintings have become predominant and attract art observers and collectors, glass paintings used to be highly valued. Today, many young painters are trying to revive glass painting as a collectible art. Dhira Senam, 26, a flamboyant and energetic glass painter, is obsessed with promoting his new glass painting technique of pointillism, something he has done since 1990.

Hygiene a distant dream for Bantar Gebang residents Text by T. Sima Gunawan and photos by Mulkan Salmona BEKASI, West Java (JP): It was noon. A young man wearing a bamboo hat was sitting contentedly in a simple tent, eating a cob of corn. A fly settled on it, but he didn't care. He did not care about his dirty T-shirt and the smell of garbage, either. "I am used to it," he said. "I don't smell it anymore bad." His name is Warsaid.

Classic jewelry designs showcase Indonesian talent By Parvathi Nayar Narayan JAKARTA (JP): "Love Indonesian products" was the theme of a recent show of jewelry designed by Een Hendratmo and promoted by Martha Tilaar. The show illustrated a combination of stones and designs emanating from Indonesian culture. The motto, which is an idea that has become popular in Indonesia, encouraged Indonesians to appreciate and buy products made in their own country.

Disposing of the city's garbage By Johannes Simbolon JAKARTA (JP): If you drive along the main streets of Jakarta at night, you will see a horde of workers, clad either in yellow, blue or orange, sweeping the streets and collecting the disposals of the day. If you take the same streets to go to the office the following morning, you usually feel fine since you see no litter any longer.

Indonesian killed in S. Korea SEOUL (AFP): An Indonesian first officer was killed and three other persons injured in an engine room explosion aboard a 1,200 ton freighter anchored in the South Korean port of Ulsan, Yonhap news agency said yesterday. The agency quoted Ulsan Maritime Police as saying First Engineer Suryanto, 45, was killed in the blast, apparently from a compressed air tank on the St. Vincent and Grenadines' registered Shin-Pung Ho as it was preparing to leave the port.

White House celebrates Idul Fitri for the first time By Hillary Rodham Clinton This week, for the first time in American history, the White House hosted a celebration of an Islamic holiday. It was long overdue. To mark the end of the holy month of Ramadhan, the most important Muslim holiday of the year, I welcomed 200 men, women and children (and even some sleeping babies) from across the country to the Indian Treaty Room of the Old Executive Office Building.

Finding a use for small, worthless coins JAKARTA (JP): "Mommy, how come I never see one rupiah coins?" my little son asked while showing me his math book. His book was filled with arithmetic problems using examples with less-than-Rp 10 coins. In reality, the coins are antiquated. In many supermarkets, for example, cashiers often give you candies instead of 75, 50 or 25 rupiah coins. Some cashiers argue that the candies are worth more than the small change you are waiting for.

Aquaria: Outward serenity hides lurking savagery By James Penha JAKARTA (JP): In contrast to pet dogs who constantly make demands on their owners (Touch me! Feed me! Comb me! Let me sleep on the couch, the bed, your arm), or pet cats whose independence infuriates their hosts (I'll be out prowling the neighborhood; if a Tom calls, tell him you never heard of me), fish are pets that soothe, calm and relax their owners.

Composting helps solve organic waste problems JAKARTA (JP): Jakarta residents produce more than 25,000 cubic meters of waste everyday, 83 percent of which is organic waste. Composting is one way to reduce the amount of waste sent to the landfill, and an equally good way to produce fertilizer for your garden. Composting is the natural process of turning yard waste, fruit and vegetable trimmings and other organic materials into a black, humus-rich topsoil called compost.

Ferry tragedy From Media Indonesia According to the Minister of Transportation's official report to the House of Representatives, the KMP Gurita which sank at the sea between Sabang and Banda Aceh, was not overloaded. The manifest reported that there were only 210 passengers aboard while the capacity of the ferry was 220 and could tolerate an excess of 10 percent of the number.

Balinese hawkers cater to every international demand DENPASAR (JP): "Look look, okay? Buy me sir?" one used to hear a woman say. She was not selling herself, but rather a Balinese wooden sculpture. Unfortunately, she chose three words that could easily be misinterpreted. Buy Me Sir was the most popular phrase used by Balinese traders around 10 years ago. Today, they are simply a footnote in the history of Balinese commerce. "Today all hawkers speak fluent English.

Security pact brings together RI, Australia From the Indonesian view, there are at least five points of long-term substantive interest in the agreement. By Ikrar Nusa Bhakti The recent signing of the Agreement on Maintaining Security between Indonesia and Australia was a historic event for the two countries. For Indonesia, it was the first time since its proclamation of independence 50 years ago that it has engaged in a security arrangement with another country.

Indonesia to send two runners to Olympics JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia is to send two marathon runners to the Atlanta Olympic Games in July, an official said over the weekend. B. Chaidir, the newly elected secretary-general of the Indonesian Amateur Athletic Association (IAAA), said after his installing ceremony that Suyono and Hudson Ethel will represent the country in the 26-mile event.

TV today TVRI 7:00 a.m. Morning News 7:30 Healthy and Fit 7:40 TV Series: Speed Keteers 8:05 Information: Among Us 8:35 Children's Stories 9:00 People and Events 9:30 Comedy: Ria Jenaka 9:45 Music: Album Kita 10:45 Youth Program: Temu Remaja 11:15 Cooking: Indonesian Food 11:45 Sports: Dari Gelanggang ke Gelanggang 12:45 p.m.

Canberra's new bond with Jakarta buries old fears Milton Osborne gives an Australian viewpoint on the new agreement. Nothing gives greater point to the significance of the security agreement signed between Australia and Indonesia on Dec. 18 than the release, barely two weeks later, of previously secret Cabinet documents dealing with Australia's policies towards Indonesia in 1965.

Idul Fitri holidaymakers hit the road once more JAKARTA (JP): All major roads leading to Jakarta and other big cities in Java were congested yesterday as millions of people headed home from their villages after an extended Idul Fitri holiday. The congestion is expected to peak today. The situation was not as chaotic as last week's exodus which saw a line of cars creeping slowly along a 150 kilometer stretch of the Pantura highway along the northern coast of Java.

Taxi Drivers From Neraca Jakartan taxi drivers' seasonal illness during Ramadhan seems incurable. The joy of Ramadhan was tainted by some taxi drivers. Why? Because they demanded charter fares, which are more expensive than the legal metered fares. I experienced this twice. During last year's Ramadhan and again this Ramadhan. Both drivers worked for President Taxi. It is a shame that this happens. It obviously has a negative impact.

Accidents kill 144 in Malaysia KUALA LUMPUR (Reuter): Road accidents in Malaysia killed 24 people in the 24 hours since 6 a.m. Friday (2200 GMT), taking the countrywide toll since last Saturday to 144, the national Bernama news agency quoted police as saying. A total of 468 road accidents were reported for the last 24- hour period, raising the number during the Chinese New Year and Idul Fitri holidays to 3,411.

Purnama misses Asian archery c'ship JAKARTA (JP): Injury will prevent leading women's archer Purnama Pandiangan from competing at the Asian Archery championships in Bangkok from Feb. 24 to Feb. 29. "She injured her hip during the selection camp and is still undergoing treatment. Purnama said she will be called by the Indonesian Archery Association to prepare herself for the Olympic Games," Martubi Makki, chairman of the Lampung archery association office, told Antara yesterday.

Obituary Sukasah Somawidjaja, a former ambassador to Saudi Arabia, died of heart attack at his Jakarta home yesterday. He was 75 years old and is survived by eight children and 12 grandchildren. A banker by training, Sukasah, served as inspector general for development, a post which he held for 15 years until 1989.

Kuala Lumpur invests in its young generation What is the significance of the new Education Bill? By Timothy N Harper The Malaysian government, after months of speculation, has taken a "quantum leap" in education. A new Education Bill aims to create "a united, democratic, liberal and dynamic education system" that will underpin Malaysia's march towards industrialization: its "Vision 2020". Education has always lain at the core of nation-building.

Luar Batang converts waste into compost By Imran Rusli JAKARTA (JP): When Hamzah Harun Al Rasyid began his development project in Kampung Luar Batang in Penjaringan, North Jakarta, he had no idea that the village's sewage would become a prospective income earner for the area.