Wilson tours Asian Nations LOS ANGELES (AFP): California Governor Pete Wilson leaves next week on a three-week trade mission to seven Asian nations to expand California's exports to Asia. California is the U.S.' biggest exporting state. Wilson will visit Hong Kong, Jakarta, Singapore, Bangkok, Manila, Taipei and Beijing between Jan. 11 and Jan. 31.

NU leader pledges support for PPP in upcoming poll JAKARTA (JP): Idham Chalid, a senior leader of the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), pledged his support yesterday for the United Development Party (PPP) in the coming general election. "I am always prepared to help PPP in its campaigning for the May general election," Idham told a PPP delegation. Led by chairman Ismail Hasan Metareum, the delegation visited the NU elder member at his pesantren (Islamic boarding school) in Cipete subdistrict, South Jakarta.

Top shuttlers boycott party over contract deal dispute JAKARTA (JP): Apparently unhappy with a contract deal, many top shuttlers refused to attend a New Year's party held by Badminton Association of Indonesia (PBSI). Hermawan Susanto, one of the 14 top shuttlers who did not attend the party Friday, said yesterday 50 shuttlers and eight coaches have not received any payment from the contract deal signed between PBSI and a firm.

Foreigners' tax With reference to your Jan. 3 article Paying foreigners affects balance of payments: Expert, I am writing to point out the danger of articles of this kind (which appear in newspapers other than The Jakarta Post). Such articles put all foreigners in a difficult, if not a dangerous, position. A breakdown delineating income by occupation and nationality should be included in all such reports.

Basketball legend Johnson due here for a special visit By K. Basrie JAKARTA (JP): This is Indonesia's first major sports story in 1997 -- basketball legend Earvin "Magic" Johnson is due here for the first time after his January 1994 ban from entering the country due to him being HIV positive was formerly lifted last month.

Low-income people still rely on RSCM By Stevie Emilia and Dwi Atmanta JAKARTA (JP): Despite the mushrooming of hospitals in the city, the state-owned Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital (RSCM) in Central Jakarta still serves as the primary medical facility for many Jakartans. A 49-year old mother who had brought her daughter to RSCM for medical treatment said she chose the hospital because she could not afford treatment at more expensive medical centers closer to home.

More wisdom needed From Jayakarta I am greatly concerned over the recent riots that took place in Tasikmalaya. The tragedy came as a shock when the Situbondo disturbance was still fresh in our minds. Obviously, we do not wish a similar tragedy to befall Jakarta and ardently hope that there will be no recurrence of such catastrophes elsewhere. Let's all practice self-restraint in order to maintain stability. Each and everyone of us needs to strengthen our faith.

Pilot trial soon JAKARTA (JP): The trial of a Garuda Indonesia pilot on Ecstasy trafficking charges is slated to begin in Amsterdam, Holland, on Thursday, Antara reported yesterday. O.C. Kaligis, a senior Indonesian lawyer, is already in Amsterdam to represent M. Said, the pilot who was arrested in September after police found 8,000 Ecstasy pills on him.

Local book prizes buck foreign sales trend By Sori Siregar JAKARTA (JP): "Literary awards don't encourage writers to write but they do encourage people to read." That was the statement Graham Swift made to reporters after winning the Booker Prize in London last October. Swift's works have been nominated twice for the prestigious Booker Prize. One of them, Last Order, won in 1996. But Swift's statement was not exaggerated or quixotic.

New Year's resolutions are made to be broken JAKARTA (JP): Not zero hour of any ol' day, of course, but the one that sees out the old year and announces the arrival of the new. Trouble is, you kind of forget about those resolutions about five seconds after having made them. How come? Well, for one thing, let's consider the circumstances.

Sismadi helps the poor, creates employment By I. Christianto Human expectations of hospitals changes from time to time. Centuries ago, hospitals were seen as inseparable from death. Hospitals were the place where ailing pilgrims sought refuge and the care of nuns, as well as preparation to face death. The sick were called "patients" because of their patience in suffering illness. Gradually, perceptions of hospitals changed.

Cathay anticipates huge take off in 1998 HONG KONG (JP): If the transfer of Hong Kong's sovereignty has any effect on Cathay Pacific as a business, it will be to expand opportunities, Tanya Reed, Cathay Pacific's corporate communication manager for Asia, said.

Magic expected during Johnson's matches in RI By Bruce Emond JAKARTA (JP): Times have indeed changed for the better since 1994, when Earvin "Magic" Johnson was denied a visa to enter Indonesia for an exhibition tour amid a media torrent focusing on the basketball star's HIV status. The blitz, marked by lurid speculation on Johnson's "risk" to others, was notable for a singular lack of clarity in defining how the virus is actually contracted.

Lambard's opus dissects Indonesian mentalities Nusa Jawa: Silang Budaya (Javanese Crossroads); Vol 1: Batas-Batas Pembaratan (The Limits of Occidentalization), 309 pages; Vol 2: Jaringan Asia (The Asia Network), 498 pages; Vol 3: Warisan Kerajaan-Kerajaan Konsentris (Heritage of the Concentric Kingdoms), 346 pages; By Denys Lombard; Published by Gramedia, Jakarta, December 1996 JAKARTA (JP): This three-volume, 1,027-page work originated in a post-doctoral dissertation (These d'Etat) defended at...

Romance surrounds Lau's first concert in Jakarta By Rebecca Mowbray JAKARTA (JP): A romance befitting of Valentine's Day was in the air Friday night at the Jakarta Convention Center as Hong Kong entertainment star Andy Lau made his first-ever Indonesia performance. A small but devoted band of fans wooed him with flowers, teddy bears, shrieks and kisses. They darted to the stage with their offerings, hoping for a brush of the hands, dreaming of a kiss.

TV today TVRI 6:00 a.m. Religious Teachings: Hikmah Pagi 6:25 Morning news 6:45 Healthy and Fit 7:00 News 7:30 TV Series: Grandizer 8:00 Fashion: Tata Busana 8:30 Information 9:00 English News Service 9:30 People and Events 10:00 Music: Album Minggu Ini 11:00 Children's Story 11:30 Comedy: Ria Jenaka 11:45 Sports: Dari Gelanggang Ke Gelanggang 1:15 p.m News 1:30 Teenagers' Program: Temu Remaja 2:00 Music: Minggu Gembira 2:35 TV Series: Dinky Dog 3:00 News: Lintasan Berita 3:05 Music: Musik...

Business to run as usual in HK after June 30 By Hyginus Hardoyo The Jakarta Post's Hyginus Hardoyo visited Hong Kong from Dec. 10 to Dec. 15, last year at the invitation of Cathay Pacific and JW Marriott Hotel Hong Kong. His reports are written in three articles on this page.

Diary spreads 'genuine' Indonesia art worldwide By Amir Sidharta JAKARTA (JP): Though many Indonesian arts, like batik, bronze and stone carvings, gold and silver jewelry and tribal sculpture, have long been known internationally, many folk arts have been largely ignored. But in 1997 we can almost be sure they will be recognized and appreciated.

Fiercer Hospital rivalry means good news for patients By Stevie Emilia JAKARTA (JP): The rapid increase in the number of hospitals in the country and the liberalization of services is resulting in fiercer competition in the medical care provision business. But for customers, or patients in this case, such a phenomenon is good news.

'Gora Goda': Man's instinctive and conscious trip By Franki Raden JAKARTA (JP): Korean choreographer-director Kang Manhong presented his dance-theater Gora Goda at the Ismail Marzuki Arts Center in Jakarta on Dec. 23 and Dec. 24. Kang, who resided a long time in New York, created the work in cooperation with Indonesian dancers, actors and musicians. Although this work was composed and directed by Kang, it was imbued with local colors, mainly from Balinese dances.

Indonesian 'tempe' struggles to remove second-rate image By Sirikit Syah SURABAYA (JP): There are hardly any Indonesians who have not taste tempeh. Even those living in the jungles of Irian Jaya or Kalimantan have consumed this food. As long as there are Javanese people, who are said to be the creators of tempeh, the production and distribution of this food will continue. What is so special about tempeh, a cheap and simple food made with fermented soybeans?

RI to buy four submarines JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Navy plans to buy four more submarines to add to the two it already has, Navy Chief of Staff Vice Admiral Arief Kushariadi was quoted by Antara as saying yesterday. Arief said Indonesia would get two of the new submarines sometime this year from Germany, Antara reported. He did not give details of the submarines nor their prices. He said that given Indonesia's vast marine territory, the Navy should have at least six submarines.

Marriott aims to gain ground in RI HONG KONG (JP): Marriott International of the United States, a diversified hospitality company with operations and franchises in 21 countries, will manage a first-class hotel in Indonesia. The hotel, currently under construction on Jl. Sudirman, the main thoroughfare in Jakarta, will be Marriott's flagship property in the country, in cooperation with PT Duta Anggada Realty, a subsidiary of the widely diversified Gunung Sewu Group.