Thomas and Uber Cup go out live JAKARTA (JP): The Thomas Cup and Uber Cup badminton team championships in Hong Kong in May will be aired live by private- owned TV channel RCTI. Ralie Siregar, president director of the station, said upon signing a broadcasting contract worth Rp 5 billion (US$2.2 million) with cigarette company PT HM Sampoerna yesterday that the live coverage will include the draw on March 17, the semifinals on May 23 and 24, and the finals on May 25 and 26.

New Order: Building from shambles By Hartoyo Pratiknyo and Lela E. Madjiah When Soeharto's New Order government took power from president Sukarno in 1966, Indonesia was a demoralized nation, suffering from a collapsed economy with an inflation rate of over 600 percent, plus a bureaucracy as corrupt as it was huge. With no program to offer, Soeharto took propositions for economic change and development from a group of economists of the School of Economics at the University of Indonesia.

Student leaders ponder achievements JAKARTA (JP): Dozens of anti-establishment student leaders from the mid-1960s gathered for a nostalgic meeting yesterday, asking themselves whether, 30 years on, they have accomplished the tasks that they had set out to do when they took to the streets.

New Order govt brings progress despite some failings By T. Sima Gunawan and Johannes Simbolon JAKARTA (JP): Thirty years have passed since the fateful day when the New Order government replaced President Sukarno's Old Order administration. However, many find it hard to erase their painful memories of the period of transition, where the new young government was struggling to rebuild the nation from scratch. Many had to go without rice, the staple food, bathe without soap and patch up old clothes.

Australia goes through a withdrawal symptom By Sabam Siagian JAKARTA (JP): When friends asked me recently what my prediction would be for the March 2 Australian federal elections, my standard answer was that either contestant could win albeit with a small margin. Perhaps reflecting my personal bias, I would then add that I hoped the Labor Party and Paul Keating would have another chance.

Correction: The first paragraph in the article titled Dibyo tipped for promotion in forces reshuffle, which appeared on Page 3 yesterday, should read: "National Police Chief Gen. Banurusman Astrosemitro and two of the three chiefs of staff in the Armed Forces will be replaced next week", making it clear that only two -- not all three chiefs -- will be replaced. We regret the error. -- Editor

Chronology of 1966's crucial events JAKARTA (JP): The year 1966 was very crucial in the history of Indonesia. Things unfolded in a way that amazed even people like Widjojo Nitisastro. Looking back, there are plenty of reasons why many people considered Indonesia a miracle, especially after Gunnar Myrdal stated in early 1960s that Indonesia was a lost cause. For example, only three months after the Sept.

Development and flooding Several years now the debate on development in Bopunjur (Bogor, Puncak and Cianjur) has been going on without any apparent solution. In the meantime building construction has continued with the support of the local administration. We can now find many real estate developments sprouting up everywhere around Bopunjur, which is supposed to be a water catchment for Jakarta to prevent flooding in the capital city.

Michael Mann's new crime thriller 'Heat' is on By Parvathi Nayar Narayan JAKARTA (JP): Vincent Hanna (Al Pacino) and Neil McCauley (Robert de Niro) are consummate professionals in director Michael Mann's crime thriller Heat. Intense and focused on their work to the point of obsession, theirs is an existential life where the heat of the action provides both motivation and meaning; if they believe in a god it is certainly the devil.

'Berkeley Mafia' helped design RI economic policies By Hartoyo Pratiknyo and Lela E. Madjiah They are referred to as the "Berkeley Mafia", a nickname that may mislead those who don't know them into believing the worst. On the contrary, they have not only helped design the country's economic policies, but have also remained a solid group of economists faithful to each other and to this nation to this day.

The problem of inequality will always arise: Emil By Riyadi JAKARTA (JP): Amid the flourishing business conglomerates in the country, many people have expressed concern over the economic fortunes of the common people. Critics have blamed the so-called New Order government's economic policies, which allegedly emphasize growth instead of the distribution of wealth among people, for the backward economic state of the of the majority of the population.

Indonesian Olympic team to get help from experts JAKARTA (JP): The National Sports Council will recruit the country's best experts to help Indonesia's Olympic team draw up an effective training program. Suhantoro, deputy director of the council's Center for Sports Science, said yesterday that no less than 20 experts will be invited for a meeting at the end of this month to propose a detailed program aimed at maximizing the performance of Indonesian athletes at the Olympic Games in Atlanta.

10 lifters named for Asian championships JAKARTA (JP): Coach Harry Wibowo announced yesterday Indonesia's 10 best bets for the Asian men's weightlifting championships in Japan next month. The championships, to be held in Yachio, 30 kilometers from Tokyo, from April 4 to April 9, serve as the final Olympic qualifying round for Asian lifters. They offer a total of five Olympic berths, two for the winner and one each for those who finish second to fourth.

The vagabond children of the Dieng Plateau Text and photos by Helen Tainsh DIENG PLATEAU, Central Java (JP): I had been told of the "special children" of Dieng by my guide Yani. "Will I see these children?" I asked. Yani looked at her watch, and replied, "Maybe they are sleeping now." This made me skeptical. I thought Yani was spinning me a mystical Javanese legend. Suddenly, there she was -- her dreadlocks giving her away as one of the ragged bocah gembel (vagabond children).

Supersemar was meant to lead the country to democracy By Benget Simbolon JAKARTA (JP): "It's amazing to see that within three years we managed to stabilize our economy. Look at Russia, which is still in a mess after the 1989 revolution," said Frans Seda, who held several ministerial positions both in Old and New Order governments in an interview with The Jakarta Post.

Mari Pangestu is no ordinary economist By T. Sima Gunawan JAKARTA (JP): Mari Elka Pangestu is one the few Indonesian women who are policy-oriented economists. She was the second Indonesian women to earn a PhD and the first to obtain the title from overseas. She was born in Jakarta in 1956. Her late father, Jusuf Panglaykim, was a noted scholar, and her mother, Evi E., is a pharmacist. When she was nine, Mari's family moved to Australia where she attended elementary school.