Mulia Hotel ready for the Games: PR Manager JAKARTA (JP): The Hotel Mulia Senayan rejected accusations yesterday that it was not ready for the SEA Games after it turned away foreign athletes on Friday who thought they were staying there. The hotel's public relations manager, Ira Maya Sopha, said: "We are ready for the Games.

Small industries From Berita Yudha As a private businessman who manufactures shoes, I am experiencing difficulties due to the fluctuations of the exchange rate of the rupiah against the U.S. dollar. Meanwhile, I must continue employing my workmen whose salaries I pay from the production of shoes. I have to maintain the quality of my products to compete in the market. Raw material for shoe production has become increasingly expensive. Also, banks have raised their interest rates on loans.

Liquor, a doctor's concern From Republika I am greatly concerned over the fact that our way of life has allowed beer to be closely linked with part of our community's activities. Beer is packed and introduced to the community in various forms, names and manners. The impact of drinking beer on the community is very obvious. Some recent tragic events may serve as good examples in this respect.

Executives scramble to keep up with technology JAKARTA (JP): It was lunchtime, and lawyer Rudhy A. Lontoh was in his new BMW 740i, set to eat out with his associates. Then something went horribly wrong: he could not adjust the car's sophisticated rearview mirror. The problem was not with the vehicle. It was Rudhy who did not know how to operate the device. "You can imagine what it would be like, driving in a city like Jakarta without a rearview mirror.

Pride on the line for host Indonesia As part of the our coverage of the SEA Games, The Jakarta Post is running a profile of each of the 10 participating countries. The story below is the tenth in the series. JAKARTA (JP): It is almost a foregone conclusion that Indonesia will emerge the overall medal champion when the SEA Games closes next Sunday. But rewriting the record books is another question.

Sports ministers to discuss a change in SEA Games name JAKARTA (JP): The Southeast Asian Games may soon be no more. At a meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) sports ministers yesterday, it was suggested to change the name of the competition to the ASEAN Games after Cambodia is admitted into the association.

It's not all in the genes after all... JAKARTA (JP): I was taking my daily walk around the lake in my new housing complex, when I met my sister on her bicycle. She had just come back from one of her Tai Chi classes. We had moved to the new development complex for longevity's sake -- in hope of fresh air and to be free of noise and other pollution. "So you are bicycling now?" I asked her. "Yes we have to adopt a new lifestyle to keep fit," was her reply.

Marathon three auctions is sprint to end of art boom By Amir Sidharta SINGAPORE (JP): Amid the currency crisis and the haze, a new series of auctions of Southeast Asian paintings was held in Singapore at the end of last month. Sotheby's commenced the auction season on Saturday, Sept. 27, followed by Christie's the next day, and Glerum on Monday. Sotheby's offered 261 paintings, Christie's 318 and Glerum 361, for a record 940 items in an auction season.

Bringing Mowgli out of the jungle for children By Laksmi Pamuntjak-Djohan JAKARTA (JP): Rudyard Kipling has been praised, criticized and branded as a great many things. Intellectuals such as Edward Said have accused his depiction of the "white man" as the very notion Orientalism thrives on. Yet to many of us, he is simply the man who gave us Mowgli, one of the best-loved cartoon characters of all time.

Is Open Skies aviation reform An open Asia-Pacific aviation club is better than the bilateral "open skies" agreements negotiated by the U.S. with individual regional countries, says Christopher Findlay. SINGAPORE: "Freedoms of the air" is a phrase often used in the air transport industry. But, in fact, international trade in air transport services is far from free. The rules of the multilateral trading system do not apply.

A House in the Forest By Kuntowijoyo There are two inviolable prohibitions for the residents of this village, which is located near a forest. First, they are barred from marrying people from the village located north of their own. Second, they are not allowed to build a prayer house anywhere within their village. They believe that any violation of the taboos will anger the ghost who controls their village. Violators face ostracism from fellow villagers.

ASEAN needs to move faster, bolder ASEAN's existing decision-making procedure and institutional setup may not be able to cope with the coming economic tests, writes Supachai Panitchpakdi. SINGAPORE: In ASEAN, good political relations built painstakingly through the decades have created a stable atmosphere for individual member economies to thrive.

Potret's minimalist sounds refresh local pop music By Helly Minarti JAKARTA (JP): The philosophy of "less is more" is well applied by Potret, a local band whose latest hit Salah (Wrong) has been dancing around the top of the Indonesian pop charts for the past few weeks. Three people form the group: Anto Hoed, bass guitar, Arie Ayunir, drummer, and Melly Goeslaw, vocals. But fewer people does not equal less substance.

RI gets easy draw in men's tennis JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia's strongly favored men's tennis squad appears a shoe-in to reach the final of the 19th SEA Games after being handed a dream draw yesterday. Following a first-round bye, the top seeds will face either Cambodia or Vietnam in the semifinal in the six-team competition. The Indonesians appear almost assured of a final spot as the players from Cambodia and Vietnam are much lower ranked.

Pump away your chest pain with EECP By Ronald Hutapea JAKARTA (JP): A middle-aged woman visited a cardiologists when she found herself exhausted after exercising. When the doctor told her she had a slight heart problem, she decided to take a drug-free treatment at the Harapan Kita Cardiac Center in Jakarta. She decided to take part in Enhanced External Counter Pulsation (EECP). EECP is a new and revolutionary nonsurgical, noninvasive and drug-free procedure for treating chest pain.

Jakarta playhouse tries to boost love of the arts Text by Stevie Emilia photos by P.J. Leo JAKARTA (JP): Gedung Kesenian Jakarta, the Jakarta playhouse, is keeping true to its goal to present good quality entertainment and simultaneously heighten public appreciation of the arts. After a decade of weathering assorted difficulties, from obtaining performance permits to financial woes, the playhouse is renewing its pledge to stage quality works.

Krakatau cheers jazz crowd at Sydney Harbor JAKARTA (JP): A combination of traditional and modern elements often results in something unique and beautiful. Krakatau band, using both traditional and modern instruments, provides a new experience which is both visually and aurally stimulating. When Krakatau hit the stage last weekend at the first day of the 20th Manly International Jazz Festival in Sydney, the audience was surprised by the dynamic, exciting rhythms and lyrical melodies they heard.

What can we expect from the SEA Games? JAKARTA (JP): Thousands of Southeast Asian athletes will go all out for gold in the next week during the SEA Games. What does the biennial event mean to those on the sidelines? The Jakarta Post interviewed people from all walks of life to discover their opinions and hopes about the Rp 105 billion Games.

Thousands mourn archbishop's death JAKARTA (JP): Thousands of mourning Catholics flocked yesterday to the El Tari Airport in East Nusa Tenggara capital of Kupang to meet the body of Kupang Archbishop Mgr. Gregorius Monteiro SVD, who died Friday in Jakarta at the age of 73. Antara reported that people wept as soon as the Merpati plane carrying the bishop's body landed at 11:15 a.m. yesterday. Chairman of the local office of Indonesian Council of Ulemas H.O.S.

Journalists complain about incomplete press center JAKARTA (JP): Journalists covering the SEA Games complained yesterday that many services in the Main Press Center were still incomplete. Reporters from both participating countries and news agencies said center officials were not well prepared and the information on event schedules and results was often late and unsatisfactory. "It seems like the officials at the press center are not ready to serve the journalists.

Birthday carol JAKARTA (JP): The following sportsmen and women taking part in the SEA Games mark their birthday today.

EAGA: Charting the linkages By Pushpa Thambipillai The East ASEAN Growth Area (EAGA) seems set to proceed on a shared but varying pace of cooperation. SINGAPORE: According to an Indonesian minister, his country's vision is to ensure that at least 18 of its provinces will be involved in some form of growth triangle with its neighbors.

'King of Apes' rebuilding his monkey kingdom in the jungle MEDAN, North Sumatra (Antara): Umar Manik is the King of Apes. He can't be separated from primates. He loves them all and they love him. Umar, 40, a father of six children, said he had more than 1,000 monkey friends in the Sibatuloting forest reserve, Simalungun, North Sumatra. Umar, who used to live in the jungle cut off from any outside contact, opened the gate to his "monkey kingdom" in the early 1990s.

Dazzling opening to SEA Games JAKARTA (JP): It was grand, dramatic and spectacular. After a year of anxious preparations, President Soeharto officially opened the 19th SEA Games last night in a stunning ceremony of moving formality and glittering entertainment.

Workshop carries the torch for Javanese culture By Muhamad Achadi YOGYAKARTA (JP): In the sedate Suryodiningratan neighborhood, a bulwark against outside encroachment on Javanese culture has been set up. It is found in a nondescript Javanese-style house on a 4,000- square-meter plot. The main area of the pendopo -- the front section of a traditional Javanese home -- is resplendent with carvings of sun symbols.

Nan is part of new wave of young filmmakers By Rita A. Widiadana JAKARTA (JP): For young cinematographer Nan Triveni Achnas, who is kept busy shuttling between a packed schedule of jobs, the Indonesian film industry is treating her just fine, thank you. Her story is a typical of beleaguered local film workers. Since she landed her first short film Hanya Satu Hari (Only One Day) in 1992, Nan has been involved in many productions.

Grumbling continues in opening countdown JAKARTA (JP): Complaints about unfinished facilities continued to hound SEA Games' organizers yesterday as the clock ticked down to the opening ceremony. Women's hockey matches, scheduled for Saturday, were postponed a day to allow construction of a temporary stand for VIPs and teams. Repairs are also needed to the fence surrounding the newly built synthetic pitch in the Senayan sports complex.

Journalists asked to use conscience in reporting JAKARTA (JP): A respected Moslem scholar has called on journalists to use their conscience in their work. "Journalists should consult their conscience so that they know how far they can go in writing a story," Nurcholish Madjid of Paramadina Foundation said in a discussion here over the weekend.

TV today TVRI 6:00 a.m. TVRI News 6:25 Morning News 6:45 Religious Teachings: Hikmah Pagi 7:15 Healthy and Fit 7:30 Children's Program: Arena Kami 8:00 Brudy and Family 8:30 Cartoon Film 9:00 People and Event 9:30 TV Drama: Disekitar Kita 10:00 Live Reports: Gelanggang Sea Games XIX 1:00 p.m.

Thais tough to beat, RI volley coach predicts JAKARTA (JP): The first aim of the Indonesian women's volleyball team is to beat Myanmar, the Philippines and Vietnam in the preliminary round of the tournament at the 19th SEA Games, their Japanese coach said. "The first thing the players should do is beat Myanmar, the Philippines and Vietnam to enter the finals," Matsunaga said on Friday during practice at the Senayan Sports Hall. Matsunaga, who is referred to as Mr.