Christine Hakim makes her TV series debut JAKARTA (JP): Christine Hakim is back. The internationally- acclaimed actress, who has been absent from the Indonesian film industry for a decade, will return to the screen next month when she appears in a new TV series. Christine is the leading character in Bukan Perempuan Biasa (No Ordinary Woman), scheduled to be aired on Rajawali Citra Televisi Indonesia (RCTI), starting July 7.

'Marvin's Room' goes deep into the American psyche By Laksmi Pamuntjak-Djohan JAKARTA (JP): There's something poignantly telling in the lyrics of Marvin's Room's theme song: When the stars grow dim/ and your dreams grow old/ What do you do when the winter calls/ and flowers fall from the garden walls/ I come home to you/ you come home to me/ my love will be your remedy/ I'll choose you and you'll choose me/ we'll be two daughters standing by the edge of the sea.

Guess What? What would people think if a former rector of Gadjah Mada University (UGM) in Yogyakarta suddenly embarked on a singing career and started marketing the cassettes himself? Some would assume he had fallen on hard times. "Many friends in Jakarta thought that I had suffered reversals in my finances and this drove me to become a singer," Prof. Koesnadi Hardjasoemantri, a UGM rector from 1986 to 1990, told The Jakarta Post. The truth is simpler.

A rare book with sexy topic 'The Romance of K'tut Tantri and Indonesia' By Timothy Lindsey Oxford University Press, 1997 Hardback 362 pp AU$65 MELBOURNE (JP): There are many a doctorate thesis that have been spruced up and published as books but one dealing with such a sexy topic as Timothy Lindsey's The Romance of K'tut Tantri and Indonesia is rare indeed. First, any topic that touches on Bali will always hold the reader's fascination.

Indulgent is middle name of many Indonesian yuppies JAKARTA (JP): "Riches are for spending," wrote 17th century English philosopher Sir Francis Bacon. Three centuries later and halfway round the world, those words ring true for many of Jakarta's young well-to-do. Occupying prominent job positions which bloat their bank accounts, Indonesian yuppies claim consumerism is now more often a necessity than a luxury. Some argue that they are merely sampling the rewards of their hard-earned money.

Sheila sways her music from Malaysia to Indonesia By Helly Minarti JAKARTA (JP): She emerged agleam from the backstage, elegantly stepping along the narrow catwalk-turned-stage under the soft, flashing lights. She greeted the patient throng -- the gig was almost two hours late -- with her affable mix of Malay and English. It's her trademark which reminds her fans here that although she looks Indonesian, she is Malaysian.

New club set out to popularize jazz music JAKARTA (JP): Not even its most devoted followers would deny that the appeal of jazz is still limited to a select audience. "Even MTV never features jazz, indicating that this kind of music is still unpopular and has little support," Indonesia's talented jazz musician Indra Lesmana said last Monday at a press conference at B.A.T.S. in the Shangri-La Hotel Jakarta.

Tearful HK farewell at Government House By Paul Majendie HONG KONG (Reuter): As the band struck up "Amazing Grace", twilight crept over the lawn of Government House and Hong Kong Governor Chris Patten wiped a tear from his eye yesterday. And when the band launched into the stirring "Land of Hope and Glory" you could hear a pin drop among the great and the good of the British colony.

Patten's pets grounded HONG KONG, (AFP): Whisky and Soda, the pet dogs of Hong Kong's last British governor, could not leave the territory because of a French air dispute, reports said yesterday. The Norfolk terriers were to have been flown Friday to France, where Governor Chris Patten has a home, but a strike threat by Air Inter Europe Cabin staff disrupted the flight plans, the South China Morning Post said.

Beijing blast kills three BEIJING (Reuter): A huge explosion at a chemical factory in suburban Beijing killed at least three people and injured 64, city government officials said yesterday. The blast that rocked the Dongfang Chemical Factory in Beijing's Tong county at around 9.30 p.m. (0130 GMT) on Friday sent shards of metal cascading across nearby streets and blew out windows up to a kilometer (0.6 miles) away. "It was a huge explosion," said one resident.

Beijing as friend is safer bet Insights from social psychology show that initiatives like the ASEAN Regional Forum to engage China are steps in the right direction. By Nikolas Busse SINGAPORE: Towards the end of July, some 21 Foreign Ministers from the Asia-Pacific are scheduled to meet in Kuala Lumpur for the fourth ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF).

Deny busies himself with ants in art By Amir Sidharta JAKARTA (JP): Fame and all its trappings may be the desire of many artists, but not Deny Rusanto. This native of Palembang, South Sumatra, became an artist not because of pretensions to becoming the country's most famous painter, feted by critics and collected by the rich and famous. Instead, when this young man arrived in 1985 at Jakarta Institute for the Arts (IKJ), he chose a major which he considered most practical for his future.

Hearty and satisfying Mexican meals from Amigos JAKARTA (JP): Looking to whip up more Mexican delights in your own kitchen? Chef Suwarno from the Amigos outlet at the Setiabudi Building in Kuningan, South Jakarta, provides two recipes below exclusively for The Jakarta Post's readers. Chili Con Carne and Burritos are hearty, satisfying fare ideally served with spiced Mexican rice.

Antonio, Hamdani share lead JAKARTA (JP): GM Rogelio Antonio of the Philippines and NM Hamdani Rudin shared the lead at the Bali Jeff-RCA Grand Master Chess Tournament Friday, each with 5.5 points. Hamdani again scored a victory in the sixth round by defeating his counterpart NM Tommy Supriyanto in the 28th move of the French opening. With this victory, Hamdani scored 5.5 victory points, the same as Antonio who only drew with IM Danny Juswanto in the 18th move of the Queen's Pawn opening.

Japan qualifies for W.Cup final round TOKYO (AFP): Japan drew with Oman 1-1 to finish top of the Asian zone Group Four tournament here yesterday and assured themselves of a place in the final qualifying round for the 1998 World Cup Finals. Hidetoshi Nakata put Japan one up only four minutes into the match, but Majdi Sahaaban Fatah Samir hit an equalizer into the right corner from a Mohamed Khamis Juma Al Araimi pass in the 64th minute.

TV Program: Sunday, June 29, 1997 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 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.

U.S. pleased by UN talks on East Timor WASHINGTON (Reuter): The United States said on Friday it was very encouraged by the last round of United Nations-sponsored talks on the disputed island of East Timor. The foreign ministers of Portugal and Indonesia, after an initial two days of UN-sponsored meetings, agreed last Friday that senior officials of the two sides would hold intensive talks beginning on July 28.

Young urban executive brushes off yuppie label JAKARTA (JP): She works very hard, but she plays hard as well. She earns a lot of money, and she also spends a lot. Dina Ponsel may be a typical member of the new generation of white-collar workers who grew up to reap the advantages of Indonesia's booming economy. Well-educated, from a cosmopolitan background and relatively well-paid, she could be categorized as a yuppie, a young urban professional, even though she spurns the label herself.

Young smokers follow parental lead By Ronald Hutapea JAKARTA (JP): Everywhere one turns, it seems a smoker is lighting up. They also appear to be getting younger -- gangly junior high school students puffing away on the sidewalks and at bus stops are a common sight around the city. Anti-smoking lobbies have made inroads in many Western and industrialized countries, but the campaigns have fallen on deaf ears in many parts of Asia.

Foreign art and craft exhibitors attract visitors JAKARTA (JP): Foreign exhibitors with crafts and live performances attracted a large crowd of visitors at the Art and Craft Exhibition at the Jakarta Convention Center in Central Jakarta yesterday. All seats around the stage of the South Korean exhibitor were filled as people watched a traditional Dong-Rye dance, performed by participants from the Republic of Korea.

Yuppies inherit legacy from their forerunners JAKARTA (JP): There are few comparisons to be drawn between young executives of the 1990s and their forerunners just 20 years ago. Like father, like son? Hardly. Young executives today are on the whole better educated than their parents, have more opportunities to build a career and take home a much bigger paycheck. Their greater spending power translates into more avenues to unwind, including ones never imagined by their forefathers.

Rainbow colors of Kelimutu lakes woo tourists By Yacob Herin MAUMERE, Flores (JP): The three crater lakes shimmering individual shades of blue, red and white are not fantastical images of a long lost Shangri-la. Carved out of the summit of Mount Kelimutu, they have long drawn praise. "Infinite beauty" were the words chosen by Van Suchtelen, one of the first two people to climb the mountain in 1915, in his book Ende Flores. Mt.

Knockoff guitars are sweet music for small village By Tarko Sudiarno SURAKARTA, Central Java (JP): They may bear famous brand names such as Osmod, Yamaha and Kawasaki, but the gleaming guitars available in city shops are sometimes merely knockoffs of the originals. They sell for between Rp 50,000 and Rp 60,000 in stores, and as little as Rp 30,000 direct from producers. This is a hefty savings from the bonafide articles, which cost about Rp 200,000.

Surly secretaries, English lesson JAKARTA (JP): English-speaking people say English is the universal language. I don't know about that, but I know that in Indonesia, it's the only way to do business. This is a story about what should be a simple procedure: making a phone call. My job requires making many phone calls, including to so- called fairly important people (FIPs) I've never met. It doesn't sound like a difficult task; at least it didn't before I moved back to Indonesia.

Yuppies reap fruits of economic boom The success of the New Order economy has allowed the emergence of a group of young people who have better access to education and working opportunities. Most of them are well-educated, well- dressed and relatively well-paid. Popularly called yuppies, these young professionals often lead a lavish lifestyle and have become an integrated part of the middle-class in Indonesia. The Jakarta Post's team of reporters, Meydiatama Suryodiningrat, Sugianto Tandra, T.

Johnny sets sail in time-honored tradition JAKARTA (JP): Like generations of Sulawesi seafarers before him, Johnny's life is anchored to the Bugis schooners that crisscross the waters of the Indonesian archipelago. "Ever since I was young I have worked on boats," Johnny said. His early days were spent as a fisherman, and now he shuttles lumber between Palembang, South Sumatra, and Jakarta, aboard one of the schooners of his homeland.

Harmony for HK handover symphony By Justin Jin HONG KONG (Reuter): A theme song celebrating Hong Kong's return to Chinese rule on July 1 will feature chiming Chinese bells with a wailing cello in an East-meets-West mix-bag. Very Hong Kong. Like the territory, which returns to motherland China after 156 years of British colonial culture, the orchestral piece Symphony 1997 (Heaven Earth and Mankind) conforms neither to Chinese nor Western musical traditions.

The emergence of corporate Malays Think the unthinkable, dream the impossible, Daim Zainuddin, former Finance Minister and now Economic Adviser to the Malaysian government, gives this advice. Bumiputera Entrepreneurs in the KLSE, Vol.1, By Sally Cheong, Petaling Jaya, Corporate Research Services, 1996, 238 pages.

Tyson-Holyfield rematch, let the fighting begin By Steve James LAS VEGAS, Nevada (Reuter): Now, says Mike Tyson, is the time for the talking to end and the fighting to begin. After all the hyperbole and the public posturing, the mind games and the protests, Tyson's challenge Saturday (Sunday Western Indonesian Time) for Evander Holyfield's World Boxing Association heavyweight title bout comes down to two men battling in the ring in front of as many as three billion television viewers worldwide.

History favors Holyfield in return engagement LAS VEGAS, Nevada (AFP): Evander Holyfield has history on his side Saturday when he defends his World Boxing Association heavyweight title against Mike Tyson. The fight comes less than eight months after Holyfield shocked Tyson to grab the title and, coincidentally, set up the mega- rematch in which each fighter is guaranteed US$30 million. The long-waited rematch will be shown live on Indosiar beginning at 9 a.m.