Malioboro freelance guides live by their wits in the tourist trade By R. Fadjri YOGYAKARTA (JP): A band played slow rock music for the patrons of the Borobudur Bar and Restaurant. Several local young men with long, lank hair sat engrossed in a private conversation with a Western man and woman. They appeared oblivious to the music, and their laughter occasionally rang out as they consumed alcoholic drinks.

TV today TVRI 6:45 a.m. Religious Teachings: Hikmah Pagi 7:15 Healthy and Fit 7:30 Children's Program: Arena 123 8:00 TV Series: Brudy and Family 8:30 Performances: Warna Warni 9:00 Children's Film: 9:30 Variety Show: Disekitar Kita 10:00 TVRI News 10:30 Music: Album Minggu Ini 11:30 People and Events 12:15 p.m.

Indonesian movies remain stuck in thematic mire By A.A. Navis JAKARTA (JP): The late Usmar Ismail, one of Indonesia's foremost directors, decried the melodramatic and violent themes of Indonesian films in an article in the early 1950s. It is a sad reality that his criticisms are still pertinent to the film industry today. Writing in the bimonthly Konfrontasi 1/1954, Umar complained "...

Today's question: Are you what you are? JAKARTA (JP): You are what you are, an old adage says. But today you might be at a loss to say who you are. It depends on the type of person who asks the question. It also depends on what kind of situation you are in. Many people today have found themselves confused as to who and what they are. If you happen to have a friend among the nouveau riche, he or she might help you by answering, "You are what you drive." What if you don't have a car?

RI's female composers lead the pack By Gus Kairupan JAKARTA (JP): Perhaps the recent presentations of compositions by Trisutji Kamal and Marusya Nainggolan-Abdullah could also be described as a concert by Indonesia's only composers, which would probably raise the hackles of composers of the male gender. But then so little is heard of the latter, whose appearances are few and far between.

Psychological tests aim to unearth talent By K. Basrie JAKARTA (JP): Most high school students are gripped by anxiety in the final months of senior year as they grapple with the quandary of deciding on their future. Foremost among their concerns is whether their parents can afford to pay for college. Students also find themselves competing against thousands of others for the choice places at top universities. There is the additional headache of choosing the right major.

Yogyakarta's private colleges offer quality education By R. Fadjri YOGYAKARTA (JP): About 50,000 high school graduates from throughout the country apply for a place at a university in Yogyakarta every academic year. Their first choice is usually the prestigious state-run Gadjah Mada University (UGM). Not all of them decide to pit themselves against others in the scramble for a coveted place at UGM, where only 13,000 of 30,000 candidates who take the entrance examination are accepted.

PNG unrest: Travails of unrepresentative democracy By Alan Robson An Australian-style constituency-based electoral system grafted onto a clan-based system is the cause of many of Papua New Guinea's problems.

At 30, ASEAN looks ahead with optimism By Teofilo C Daquila What factors will determine the grouping's continued economic dynamism? SINGAPORE: ASEAN continues to be one of the rapidly growing regions in the world, evidenced by a high rate of economic growth at an annual average of about 7 percent during the past three decades, which has been due to a combination of demand- and supply-side factors.

Hawn smooths rough edges of 'The First Wives Club' By Dini S. Djalal JAKARTA (JP): "Don't get mad. Get everything," declares Ivana Trump in The First Wives Club. Spoken like a true pro who knows only too well the point of this controversial "feminist" film. The film could have been about her and countless other women facing middle age, and the husbands who don't want to know about it.

Parental help key to career choice JAKARTA (JP): The crucial moment for third-grade high school students is fast approaching. They will sit their final exams early next month. If all goes well, they will pass and graduate. But this is not the end of the story. By succeeding at school they will face another challenge. Those who want to continue studying will have to work hard to secure a place at college.

Javnese traditions mark Tommy's wedding JAKARTA (JP): After years of a public guessing game over who would be his wife, flamboyant businessman Hutomo Mandala Putra finally tied the knot on Wednesday morning. The bride chosen by President Soeharto's youngest son was Raden Ajeng Ardhia Pramesti Regita Cahyani, nicknamed Tata, a fair-skinned descendant of the Mangkunegaran royal family of Surakarta, Central Java. Tommy's selection would no doubt have pleased his mother, the late Mrs. Tien Soeharto.

Where to go after high school? Where to go after high school? In commemoration of Friday's National Education Day, The Jakarta Post looks into the issue on this page, and pages 5, 8 and 9. The articles are prepared by the Post's team of reporters, Johannes Simbolon, K. Basrie, A. Junaidi, Christiani A. Tumelap, Deborah P. Hutauruk, Lukman Natanegara, and IGN Oka Budhi Yogaswara.

Searching for genuine antiques at Tri Windu market Text and photos by Ahmad Solikhan SURAKARTA, Central Java (JP): The man looked closely at the surface of the iron, covered with patches of rust. It did not resemble the modern type of iron -- this one was shaped like a ship, and weighed about 10 kilograms. It was obviously not new. Even the wooden grip was broken. The man opened the rooster-shaped iron clasp, and started to check the interior. "How much is this, Pak?" he asked.

Studying at a university can be an expensive business JAKARTA (JP): Attending a state university is probably the dream of almost all Indonesian high school graduates and most parents would be very happy to see their children accepted at one of these universities. The reason is that state universities are cheaper and are generally of higher quality than their private counterparts. High school graduates however have to scrap for the limited seats available at the state universities.

Agoes sends noble messages through calligraphic art By K. Basrie JAKARTA (JP): Agoes Noegroho did not spend his time playing marbles or other traditional games during his childhood. Instead, he searched for fragments of broken clay roof tiles and tree branches, using them to sketch rough drawings on the sidewalk and in his yard in Semarang, Central Java.

Campaigners trample on rules, Singgih says JAKARTA (JP): The United Development Party (PPP), Golkar and the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) all breached election rules during the early days of campaigning, Election Supervision Committee Chairman Singgih said Saturday. Violations of traffic laws and violence against rival contestants were the most common offenses, Singgih told journalists. The election campaign started last Sunday and ends May 23.

Y.A.I. looks to the future in education The most important thing to look for when shopping for an education is quality lifelong training. Yayasan Administrasi Indonesia, with its wide range of courses, is a very good place to start. Nobody wants to pay a lot only to find that their school's educational content just isn't up to date and they are now the last choice on every employer's list.

Guess What? It was his last day of duty as a deputy chief justice for criminal affairs, but Adi Andojo Soetjipto was not in his office Wednesday. "I was invited by Pak Harto to attend Tommy's wedding ceremony," he explained. President Soeharto's youngest son Hutomo Mandala Putra, better known as Tommy, married Ardhia Pramesti Regita Cahyani, nicknamed Tata, in a lavish wedding ceremony at Taman Mini in East Jakarta. Adi, who turned 65 on April 11, seemed to be as happy as the bridal couple.

Study courses vie to attract students By Achmad Junaidi JAKARTA (JP): Worried students do their utmost to prepare ahead of the state university entrance examination, an event which is crucial in deciding their futures. One favorite method is to sign up for after-school study courses to cram information and review texts before the exam. Administrators step up the volume of their advertisements in the weeks preceding the exam. Some institutes are old hands in the business but many are newcomers.

NU chairman Gus Dur and the Islamic social movement Membangun Budaya Kerakyatan -- Kepemimpinan Gus Dur dan Gerakan Sosial NU (Building People's Culture -- Gus Dur's Leadership and NU's Social Movement) By M. Fajrul Falaakh, M. Imam Aziz, etc. Titian Ilahi Press & INHIS 275 pages YOGYAKARTA (JP): The articles in this book were nearly all written by young people active in the NU or organizations affiliated with the NU.

Campaign schedule for Indonesia for May 4, 1997: Party Campaign area Important campaigners ---------------------------------------------------------- PPP Kalimantan, Sulawesi Ismail H. Metareum, Ali Hardi Kiaidemak, Zain Badjeber, Tosari Widjaja, Djafar Siddiq Golkar Sumatra, Bali, East and Harmoko, Abdul Gafur, Bambang West Nusa Tenggara, Soegomo, Burhan Magenda, Fahmi Idris, East Timur Alamsyah R.

Students should choose universities wisely By K. Basrie JAKARTA (JP): Picking a university may be one of the most difficult and divisive tasks for high school graduates and their parents. In Indonesia, most students are financially dependent on their parents, but it is not only the cost of tuition they worry about. Many students are torn between their own selection and the choice of their parents, often forsaking their preference under heavy parental pressure.