Rock band Dewa 19 celebrates its first decade of success By Helly Minarti JAKARTA (JP): They began as teenagers, singing on school stages and playing in festivals for five years in their hometown of Surabaya. They then made the leap to the big time by moving to Jakarta. Dewa 19 then released four successful albums in five years. The most recent, Pandawa Lima, released in January, earned them their highest record sales of 800,000.

More access for everyone with consumer charge cards By Achmad Junaidi JAKARTA (JP): Credit should go to big-mouthed TV actor Mandra, spouting off in yet another commercial. He asks how come his fellow actor Rano Karno, who is toting a big Ramayana department store bag and a new shirt, has been shopping in the middle of the month. "'cause I've got this Ramayana card!" says Rano, star of the top-rated Si Doel TV drama.

A leadership lesson from Matsushita Matsushita Leadership: Lesson from The 20th Century's Most Remarkable Entrepreneur By John P. Kotter The Free Press, New York, 1997 302 pages, including notes and index Rp 48,000 JAKARTA (JP): Are leaders born or can someone be trained to lead? John P. Kotter, a professor of leadership from Harvard Business School, stands in the latter camp of thought. His premise explains the title's homage to the Japanese entrepreneur.

Early detection is best treatment for autism By Rita A. Widiadana In this increasingly elaborate world of communication, there is a group of people excluded from even the basic means of interaction. They are autistic children, and there are about 400,000 across the nation. They do not have the ability to convey their emotions, desires or needs. Although more research is being conducted, autism remains a little understood medical enigma.

East Asia is key to Australia's survival Stephen FitzGerald argues that coming to terms with its Asian future is perhaps the greatest challenge yet faced by Australia, but one which Australians and their leaders have refused to do thus far. SINGAPORE: The March 1996 ASEM Meeting was a remarkable event, for East Asia and for Australia. For the former, it was a meeting multilateral in form but bilateral in essence, a meeting on equal terms with the states of the European Union.

Think again before you say 'charge it' By Emmy Fitri JAKARTA (JP): As retail outlets tempt with a growing array of charge and debit cards, the Indonesian Consumer Foundation is warning consumers to be prudent. Foundation vice chairman Agus Pambagio said recently that results of an ongoing survey into credit cards would be made public in October. "We are also monitoring charge cards and debit cards (like KualiVa membership cards) as they are new products," he said.

Three Russians dominate Goodricke Open By Kristianus Liem JAKARTA (JP): A trio of ex-Soviets dominated the 8th annual Goodricke Open from Feb. 7 to Feb. 17 in Calcutta, India. Grandmasters Vadim Zviaginsev of Russia, Jaan Ehlvest of Estonia and Alexander Nenashev of Uzbekistan scored 8 points in eleven rounds to top the 68-player field. The three top finishers shared the first three cash prizes taking Rupees 50,000 each.

Motion against Chavalit BANGKOK (Reuter): Thai opposition parties are set to submit a no-confidence motion against the embattled nine-month old coalition government of Prime Minister Chavalit Yongchaiyudh, an opposition leader said yesterday. "The opposition parties have agreed to submit a no-confidence motion against the government on Sept. 8 and we set the date of debate tentatively from Sept. 25 on," opposition leader and former premier Chuan Leekpai told reporters.

Taste sensations from Victoria's JAKARTA (JP): An elegant ambience, expensive wine and classical music almost always set the mood for romantic evenings. But Victoria's Char-grill Steakhouse and Cafe does more than satisfy palates. Winner of the 1995 and 1996 Amex award for criteria including quality food, ambience and hospitality, the steakhouse and cafe boast regulars from government officials and businessmen to celebrities.

'Mutant' fails to evolve further than cartoon TOKYO (JP): Art was not the first thing that came to mind when people heard of an exhibition called The Mutation being held here. Thoughts turned instead to the artistic namesakes of Leonardo, Raphael and Michelangelo of the Mutant Turtle Ninjas! When informed it was an art show, many people assumed it was an Indonesian twist on the Japanese cartoon show.

KualiVa scheme ushers in cashless society By Achmad Junaidi and Riyadi JAKARTA (JP): No one can avoid financial transactions, but only a few pursue the noncash alternatives. Noncash transactions, even though they are still below 5 percent of all transactions nationwide, are becoming a trend as more people realize their benefits. Banks and corporates, which benefit most from such transactions, share the same interests in creating a noncash society.

Guess What? Hasjim Djalal, one of Indonesia's most respected ambassadors, turned a book launching discussion Thursday into a top-notch session on diplomacy. In his usually composed fashion and deep voice, he eloquently delved into the essence of the profession in the discussion attended by more than 150 participants, many of them young diplomats. Diplomats, he said, are not necessarily bureaucrats or lawyers but they can always find out a solution to a dispute.

'Femina': 25 years as the foremost women's magazine By Dini S. Djalal JAKARTA (JP): In 1972, women in Indonesia accounted for 33 percent of the workforce, primarily as manual laborers. Women comprised barely one-third of all university graduates. Half of all females over the age of 10 could not read or write, compared to 30 percent of all men. Most women, even upper middle-class educated ones, married by the age of 25.

Indonesian art shows paintstaking realism By Amir Sidharta TOKYO (JP): Some of the biggest names in Indonesian contemporary art are on show at The Mutation: Painstaking Realism in Indonesian Contemporary Painting at the Japan Foundation Forum, Akasaka Twin Towers, Tokyo, which ends today. The show, curated by Jim Supangkat, features the works of Dede Eri Supria, Rahmat S.

Extra Rp 6 billion needed for SEA Games SUBANG, West Java (JP): The 19th SEA Games consortium says it may need a reserve fund of Rp 6 billion (US$2,264,151) over and above the Rp 105 billion budget due to the rupiah's depreciation against the dollar. Consortium treasurer Okky Chandrawinata said here Friday that the rupiah crisis would not affect the Rp 105 billion budget. "If our income and our spending in dollars balance, we won't have any problems at all.

Club culture shakes Jakarta By Dini S. Djalal JAKARTA (JP): Is club culture coming to Jakarta? The last year has seen a spate of new clubs shifting the city's sonic tolerance to new levels. But neither the model-infested Garasi at the Jakarta Stock Exchange Building, a newly-refurbished Tanamur, or smaller dens like @ Cafe (pronounced as At Cafe) and Morgan's, can compare to the behemoth christened Bengkel jutting out in the middle of the Sudirman Central Business District.

Dry spel another blow to hard-hit Gunungkidul By Dini S. Djalal YOGYAKARTA (JP): It was a typically busy afternoon for 25-year-old Sumbrono. As a government-administered water pump operator at Tepus, Gunungkidul, about 60 kilometers east of Yogyakarta, he spends his day pouring out barrels of water for the 600 farmers inundating his well. "Some families walk from five kilometers away," Sumbrono said. "On average, they collect water from here up to five times a day.

Indonesians watch Diana's funeral JAKARTA (JP): Millions of Indonesians joined the world yesterday afternoon to watch the funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales. The event was broadcast live by state television TVRI as well as four of the five private television networks in the country. TPI did not broadcast the funeral, but was scheduled to air a three-hour special report on Diana today. Many people stayed at home to tune in the live television broadcast of Diana's funeral.

Smoke haze over S'pore SINGAPORE (Reuter): Singapore's environment ministry has advised the elderly and ill to reduce physical and outdoor activity as the smoky haze over the island reached unhealthy levels yesterday. "These has been an increase in the intensity of the smoke haze affecting Singapore," a ministry statement said. It said the Pollutant Standards Index (PSI), which measures air quality, hit 104 at 10.00 a.m. (0200 GMT). Levels of 101 and above are considered unhealthy.

Spirit of 'Malaysia Boleh' lives on after 40 years Zakaria Haji Ahmad looks at trends in Malaysia as the country celebrates 40 years of independence. SINGAPORE: One of the grandest ever independence day celebrations was staged by Malaysia last weekend, to commemorate 40 years of Merdeka (freedom) from British colonial rule.

'Men in Black': A colorful spin through alien territory By Bruce Emond JAKARTA (JP): The U.S. has an immigration problem, and it has nothing to do with the world's have-nots desperately trying to grab a piece of the American pie. These unwanted guests are aliens, grotesque monsters with deadly powers, which are threatening the stability of planet Earth. So runs the premise of Barry Sonnenfeld's Men in Black, a huge surprise hit on release in the U.S. last summer.