Guess What? Probosutedjo Business tycoon Probosutedjo, former president Soeharto's half-brother, sobbed as he addressed a graduation ceremony on Tuesday at Wangsa Manggala University near Yogyakarta. Probosutedjo, who chairs the foundation that runs the university, was obviously not one of the scores of parents who were happy because their children had completed their studies.

Islamic discourse in RI literature Sastra dan Budaya Islam Nusantara, Dialektika Antarsistem Nilai (Indonesia's Islamic Literature and Culture, Inter-Value-System Dialectics); By Ahmad Tohari, D. Zawawi Imron, Faruk, et al.; SMF Adab IAIN Sunan Kalijaga, Yogyakarta, April 1998; x + 134pp YOGYAKARTA (JP): Indonesia's modern literature deals with a lot of religious problems. Usually, there are three ways in which these problems are dealt with, as indicated by the works of noted authors here.

TV today TVRI 6:00 a.m. News: Sari Berita Sepekan 6:30 Morning Focus 6:45 Healthy and Fresh 7:00 Religious Teachings: Hikmah Pagi 7:30 Children's Program: Arena 123 8:00 Children's Program: Kumbang and Family 8:30 Children's Program: Nuansa Anak 9:00 Music 9:30 Creative Program: Widya Wahana 10:00 Family's Skill Program 10:30 Music 11:30 Talk Show: Bincang-Bincang 12:15 p.m.

Shedding light on a clouded history Already at a loss over scarce, pricey basic commodities, Indonesians now come up against mind-boggling questions about their history. Better to forgive and forget and get on with overcoming the crisis? The trouble is there has only been one, unbending version of the nation's history. The Jakarta Post team of reporters -- Benget Simbolon Tnb, Budiman Moerdijat, Devi M.

The blurring of myths and history JAKARTA (JP): The new atmosphere of openness has encouraged historians and many others to call for the rewriting of the country's history, especially the history of the New Order. Former president Soeharto and his government are now being accused of twisting history to stay in power unchallenged.

Malnutrition menaces C. Java children By Haryoso SEMARANG (JP): Sumirah is daydreaming. The 36-year-old mother is wishing that the days when she could properly feed her two under-5 children were back. "Every day, I ask myself what I can give my children to eat," she said numbly while watching the children, aged 2 and 4, play in front of their humble house in Rembang, some 100 kms east of here. Her husband is a pedicab driver who earns a mere Rp 3,000 (30 U.S. cents) a day.

Spotlight Photo A: Donation JP/alx CARING STUDENTS: Taman Safari Indonesia chief executive Toni Sumampow (left) receives a donation worth over Rp 10 million (US$1,100) from Jakarta Japanese School students. The students, who handed over the donation on Oct. 1, wished to help alleviate the food crisis affecting the animals at the zoo, located about 60 kilometers south of Jakarta in Cisarua. Photo B: Dharmawangsa JP/afs EXCLUSIVE SUITE: Dharmawangsa Hotel public relations manager Nadira A.

Rewriting the nation's history, how is it to be done? JAKARTA (JP): History that serves only to glorify rulers should never again be allowed to prevail. Historian Arnold Toynbee's assertion that history is God's own footpaths is perhaps too ideal, but at least current demands to open up "the truth" behind versions taught in school should serve to remind history writers they are no longer the court historians of bygone kingdoms.

Struggle is Megawati's middle name JAKARTA (JP): Megawati Soekarnoputri has survived one body blow after another on her way to being nominated as Indonesia's next president by the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI). The government and the military stopped at almost nothing -- bar arresting or physically harming her -- in blocking her path to contest the national leadership, which many of her ardent supporters claim to be rightfully hers.

Habibie vows to protect media freedoms SEMARANG (JP): President B.J. Habibie assured the country's media leaders here on Saturday his government would protect their freedoms, saying there would be no more censorship or restrictions of the press.

Unfulfilled dream About two decades ago, Ayub Yahya (not his real name) was a rich man by Indonesian standards. He had graduated as an economist from a prestigious university and his wife held a law degree. They lived happily in a large house in Jakarta with a very spacious garden, about 1,000 square meters, and considering the high price of land, Ayub could certainly be categorized as affluent. To top it all, he drove a Mercedes Benz limousine.

Banten: A village steeped in history Text and photos by Brigid O'Halloran BANTEN, West Java (JP): Avoiding the chickens and goats that line the dusty road through the historic fishing village of Banten, it is difficult to imagine that this village, 80 kilometers west of Jakarta, was once a bustling metropolis and the most important spice trading port in Southeast Asia.

Police arrest suspect for murder of activist JAKARTA (JP): Police arrested on Saturday a man suspected of murdering Martadinata, a humanitarian worker helping rape victims of the May riots, in her home in Central Jakarta on Friday. City Police Chief Maj. Gen. Noegroho Djajoesman told reporters early on Sunday at the Central Jakarta Police Precinct that the 22-year-old suspect, Suryadi alias Otong alias Bram, was a neighbor of the victim.

What people say about history lessons at school JAKARTA (JP): History has been a notoriously boring subject for many of the world's young students, while differing views are confusing to those brought up on one version. Can it be any other way? Parents, teachers, students and activists share their views. Malina, a mother of three grown-up children: The history- teaching methodology should be changed because the current one stresses memorizing data, which I think is useless.

Congress retains Megawati, names her for presidency By Imanuddin & M.M.I. Ahyani DENPASAR (JP): Megawati Soekarnoputri's Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) faction ended its three-day congress on Saturday by reelecting the popular leader as the party's chairwoman through 2003 and naming her as its candidate in next year's presidential election. Megawati ran uncontested in her bid to remain the party's chairwoman with all 27 of its chapters and 311 branches voting for her.

Teachers try to adapt to students' new curiosity on history By Devi M. Asmarani and Primastuti Handayani JAKARTA (JP): From elementary to high school, history stands out as one of the less glamorous subjects. It does not require strenuous mental gymnastics like math and physics, and it lacks the exotic quality of learning a foreign language.

Nasirun leaves much room for interpretation By Amir Sidharta JAKARTA (JP): It would seem inevitable that the New Order regime exerted a tremendous effect on Nasirun. The painter was born in Cilacap, Central Java, on Oct. 1, 1965, the very day that Soeharto supposedly crushed an abortive communist coup. Practically all of his life has been subject to what the New Order has molded him to be. Fortunately, Nasirun has not become merely a child of the New Order's dictates.

ASEAN women painters hold up half the sky By Pavan Kapoor JAKARTA (JP): In commemoration of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Women's Month, the organization's secretariat is hosting the painting exhibition Holding Up Half the Sky. The exhibition's title, taken from an ancient Chinese proverb, is fitting in this day and age that sees the enigmatic woman of the nineties, reputed as caring yet tough, playing an undisputed role in meeting the challenges of a rapidly changing world.

Guess What? Ditta Miranda Professional dancer Ditta Miranda trod the road of hard knocks for nine long years before she stepped onto Gedung Kesenian Jakarta's stage for a fascinating performance with her German dance company, Bremer Tanztheater. By all accounts, it was worth the wait. "Ditta always knew she wanted to be a dancer," said Farida Oetojo, a former dancer and now well-known ballet instructor.

Teguh: Scenes from a rich life lived in film By Bruce Emond JAKARTA (JP): Director Teguh Karya speaks in fits and starts, fragmented sentences dragging on in long pauses in the search for words. Aging and illness have taken their toll on arguably the most distinguished of the country's older generation of film and theater directors. "He's had problems with high blood pressure and high blood sugar," said one of his assistants when Teguh wanders out of earshot.

From Kota to Harmoni By Idrus The tram was packed with people, baskets, empty and filled containers, goats and chickens. The day was hot, and the people and animals were soaked with sweat. The tram stank from sweat and terasi. The window ledges were speckled with the tomato-red stains of betel juice. Breathing was difficult in the tram, but people smoked just the same -- to overcome the stink of seat and shrimp paste.

Bureaucracy means 'bureau' and 'crazy'? JAKARTA (JP): As a teacher at a university, I had to get the rector's signature on an important document a couple of weeks ago. I was quite confident that it would only take a minute since I heard the rector was nice and easygoing. Armed with this attitude, I headed to his office.

Freedom a prerequisite to rewriting history By Asip Agus Hasani YOGYAKARTA (JP): Historian Soegijanto Padmo places great trust in his fellow historians. In the hands of historians and other members of society, the country could begin to construct a truthful and credible history, completely independent of what the government has presented. "Historians uphold the truth above everything," says Soegijanto, who is a vice dean at the Faculty of Letters at Gadjah Mada University in Yogyakarta.