Japan gives Indonesia 100 billion in cheap loans JAKARTA (JP): The Japanese government is giving Indonesia 100 billion (US$870 million) in long-term, low-interest loans to help the country cope with its worst-ever crisis. The loan agreement was signed in Jakarta on Thursday by Takao Kawakami, the Japanese ambassador to Indonesia, and Johan S. Syahperi, the director general for foreign economic relations, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Bankruptcy petition against Hutama Karya rejected JAKARTA (JP): The Jakarta Commercial Court turned down a bankruptcy petition on Wednesday against state-owned builder PT Hutama Karya brought by private construction firms PT Jaya Readymix and PT Primacout Lestari. Presiding judge Parwoto Wignjo Sumarto declared that Hutama Karya did not have any direct debt obligation to the two private construction firms.

By Rita A. Widiadana JAKARTA (JP): Expressions of agony, anger and disappointment imbued the themes of most performing art works staged throughout l998. The fall of the New Order regime, with former president Soeharto's stepping down in May after 32 years in power, should have been reason enough for the local art community to rejoice.

Golkar's felonious ploy Every time Indonesians, whose sense of humanitarianism remains intact, speak about civil servants, they do so with strong emotion. This is due to the fact that for decades, administration after administration, the crusade to improve the lot of civil servants has proved unfruitful.

Silent Indovision! I would like to join in the ongoing correspondence published in your paper regarding Indovision, to which the company has not seen fit to reply. I agree with what all your other writers have said and find Indovision's service nothing short of appalling. I have phoned the company several times and received no satisfactory response. I have also sent them fax messages, none of which have been replied to.

Six banks may change status INI JUDUL DIPAKAI JAKARTA (JP): Six commercial banks have applied to change their status into interest-free Islamic banks, Bank Indonesia director Soebardjo said here on Thursday. He said that the six banks include Bank Mega, BSB, Bank Ratu, Bank Intan, Bank IFI and Bank Nusa Nasional. "The six banks have informally expressed their interest in changing their status to become Islamic banks," the central bank's director was quoted as saying by Antara news agency.

TV Today: Saturday, Dec. 26, l998 TVRI 5:30 a.m. Religious Teachings: Hikmah Pagi 6:00 Morning News 6:30 News: Nuansa Reformasi 7:00 Children's Program: Lagu Anak Nusantara 7:30 Cartoon 8:00 Music 8:30 My Country 9:00 TV Drama: Gelas Retak 10:00 Interval 2:00 p.m.

Rupiah slips to 7,850 as stocks slightly up JAKARTA (JP): The rupiah slipped further to close at 7,850 against the U.S. dollar in extremely quiet dealings on Thursday, with most banks closing their dealing rooms earlier than usual, currency dealers said. But stock prices on the local market edged up 0.3 percent, supported by buying programs on certain second- and third-line stocks, brokers said.

Stock quotations on JSX .rm .pl Stock prices on the Jakarta Stock Exchange (in rupiah) on Dec.24, 1998: ------------------------------------------------------------- Shares Close Change Trading Volume ------------------------------------------------------------- Ades Alfindo 450 0 0 AHAP Insurance 400 0 0 Alter Abadi 275 0 25,000 Alumindo Light Metal 350 0 7,500 Alumindo Perkasa 125 0 0 Aneka Kimia Raya 200 0 0 Aneka Tambang 1,600 0 295,000 Anwar Sierad 100 0 15,000 Apac Centertex Corp.

SembGas, Pertamina deal SINGAPORE (Dow Jones): SembGas, the consortium led by Singapore's SembCorp Engineering, has finally sewn up the long overdue US$8 billion deal with Indonesian state oil company Pertamina to buy natural gas from West Natuna and pipe it to here, a local daily reported Thursday.

;JP;JP;AFS;MSA;LEO;LEO ANPAv..r.. Photo-Butet-Guruh-Suid-Koma-Tanz Photo caption JP/7/CAP Photo captions A B Actor Butet Kartaredjasa (above) performs in Lidah Pingsan (A Numb Tongue), at Utan Kayu Theater. He recently captured the hearts of Jakarta's yuppies by making fun of bureaucrats in Raja Rimba Jadi Pawang (King of the Jungle Becomes Tamer) along with his brother, musician Djaduk Ferianto.

3 million ha of forests will be auctioned to the public JAKARTA (JP): The government will auction to the public next month a number of concession rights to carry out logging activities in three million hectares of the country's forests, a senior official of the ministry of forestry and plantations has said. Director General of the Utilization of Production Forests Waskito Soerjodibroto said the ministry will also give another three million hectares to cooperatives and small scale businesses.

Bankruptcy petition against Hutama Karya rejected JAKARTA (JP): The Jakarta Commercial Court turned down a bankruptcy petition on Wednesday against state-owned builder PT Hutama Karya brought by private construction firms PT Jaya Readymix and PT Primacout Lestari. Presiding judge Parwoto Wignjo Sumarto declared that Hutama Karya did not have any direct debt obligation to the two private construction firms.

Bankruptcy petition against Hutama Karya rejected JAKARTA (JP): The Jakarta Commercial Court turned down a bankruptcy petition on Wednesday against state-owned builder PT Hutama Karya brought by private construction firms PT Jaya Readymix and PT Primacout Lestari. Presiding judge Parwoto Wignjo Sumarto declared that Hutama Karya did not have any direct debt obligation to the two private construction firms.

Christmas in a time of crisis In Indonesia this year, Christmas is being celebrated in unfavorable sociopolitical and economic conditions. On the social and political plane, the people are in an euphoric mood over the prospect of reform, which unfortunately has brought with it some ominous negative effects. On the economic plane, this nation is still in the midst of a protracted crisis.

;JP;JSK; ANPAf..r.. Yearender-Pertamina-scandal Pertamina struggling to improve battered image JP/8/Pertamina Pertamina struggling to improve battered image By Johannes Simbolon JAKARTA (JP): The state oil and gas company, Pertamina, which has been rocked by many scandals over the past several decades, has returned to the press limelight with a battered face this year, following the downfall of former president Soeharto from power in May.

Crippled emerging markets seek new lease of life BRASILIA (Reuters): Indonesia has been knocked off its feet, Russia is on its knees and Brazil is hobbling on crutches. For emerging market specialists, the crippling events of 1998 will be hard to forget.

Conversion Rates Bank Bali's conversion rates on Dec. 24, 1998: TT rates Bank notes rates Buying Selling Buying Selling Rp Rp Rp Rp U.S.

Being modern without being westernized By Daniel Lindgren and Rob Goodfellow ------------------------------------------------------------------ The following is an excerpt of a paper presented at a seminar at the Faculty of Economics of the Islamic University of Indonesia, the International Program, in Yogyakarta on Dec. 18.

Where to go in Jakarta: Saturday, Dec. 26, 1998 Exhibitions * Photo Exhibition: World Press Photo 1998, at Erasmus Huis, Jl. H.R. Rasuna Said, Kav S-3, Kuningan, South Jakarta (Phone: 5252321), Dec. 27 to Feb. 11. * Photo Exhibition: Dari Lengser Sampai Semanggi, at Galeri Foto Jurnalistik Antara, Jl. Antara No. 59 Pasar Baru, Central Jakarta (Phone: 3458771), 11:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., until Jan. 14. * Fine Arts Exhibition: by Gotot Prakosa, at Galeri Cipta II, Taman Ismail Marzuki, Jl.