In thick or thin, Van Zorge is here for the long run By Edith Hartanto and Budiman Moerdijat JAKARTA (JP): For American James Van Zorge, home is where he makes it. After 11 years' residence in Indonesia and marriage to an Indonesian, it is now here. An independent strategic consultant on economic and political advisory services, the 40-year-old has witnessed the nation's ups and downs in the past decade.

What expatriates say about the crisis JAKARTA (JP): Not all expatriates enjoy the envied good fortune of a salary denominated in all-powerful American dollars. In fact, those who do take home the greenbacks may well be fretting over their futures and the very real possibility of employers shedding this heavy price to pay. To keep their jobs, expatriates who until recently had savored the pleasure of receiving the mighty dollars may have to compromise and humbly receive the rupiah.

Bank deposits From Kompas The government has decided to guarantee bank deposits. What about the deposits in the 16 banks liquidated on Nov. 1, 1997? What mistakes did the depositors in those banks make for Bank Indonesia not to extend its guarantee to them? What is the difference between the banks now and the liquidated banks? Bank Indonesia should act in a just and considerate way. Can Bank Indonesia clarify the discrimination in its treatment of bank depositors?

Guess What? Hanny Saputra Director Hanny Saputra, 31, has a penchant for what he calls "informative controversies". Particularly when he gets to make telecinematic productions on them. Last year critics hailed his award-winning debut production, Sepanjang Jalan Kenangan (Down Memory Lane) -- about a suicidal deviant missing out on parental love -- as a "riot of a true story". This year they may have to settle for another term to describe his second production.

Love suffers in the 'IMF era' BANGKOK (AFP): The current economic slump has hit Thai lovers where it hurts, forcing them to tighten their belts and spend less on loved ones, a survey on the eve of Valentine's Day said. The Bangkok survey titled "Valentines Day '98: Love in the IMF Era" concluded that Thais this year were spending less on lavish gifts for their loved ones.

Lombard's death a loss to Indonesian studies By Myra Sidharta JAKARTA (JP): Most disturbing among all the bad news I received in January was an e-mail from Paris announcing the death of Denys Lombard on Jan. 8. This followed e-mails from Denys' wife, Claudine Salmon, informing me that he was ill, and later that he was hospitalized. But I never thought the end would come so soon for him.

Every cloud has a silver lining JAKARTA (JP): "Dear Zatni, I am following all the news out of Indonesia and was wondering how you are doing. Is everything okay with you and your family?" That was a recent e-mail from an American friend in Oregon. I replied right away and assured her that my family was still OK. What I said was only partly true, of course. I wish I could have told her that the economic crisis had not affected me at all.

ABRI may be leaning to Habibie for VP JAKARTA (JP): The powerful Indonesian Armed Forces (ABRI) has hinted it may support B.J. Habibie for the vice presidency, boosting the research and technology minister's chances considerably after ruling Golkar, the United Development Party and the Indonesian Democratic Party endorsed his candidacy. Lt. Gen.

Betawi people vow to help General Session succeed JAKARTA (JP): Thousands of members of the Betawi (native Jakartans) community have pledged to help next month's People's Consultative Assembly General Session succeed. The crowd, arriving in about 1,000 buses from all over Greater Jakarta, which includes Tangerang, Bekasi and Bogor, made the pledge yesterday at the Senayan east parking lot, Central Jakarta, during a display of unity in a post-Idul Fitri celebration.

Jakarta's Memories restaurant now a place to remember By Bruce Emond JAKARTA (JP): Memories restaurant lived up to its name in the saddest way last night. Manager Klaas Kemp ushered out the last of the Valentine's Day diners, said goodbye to some of his 54 staff and locked the door of the restaurant for the final time after 12 years in business. Opened in October 1985 on the first floor of the Indosemen building on Jl. Jend.

Wealth of W. Sumatra's history open to public By Rita A. Widiadana JAKARTA (JP): West Sumatra and the fascinating Minangkabau ethnic group have always been attractive to scholars interested in history. The beautiful and plentiful natural resources, the people's outstanding mastery of the arts, and the distinctive societal system and rich traditions have inspired numerous locals and foreigners to study the area and its people.

Five die in fresh outbreaks of riots in several cities JAKARTA (JP): Two more people died yesterday as troops tried to end rioting sparked by steep price hikes, bringing to five the number of fatalities from unrest in several cities in the past two days. Riot-hit cities and towns were tense yesterday under the watch of the military, who defended the shooting of the five rioters as acts of self-defense. The two casualties yesterday were in Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara.

ASEAN ministers meet on Cambodian elections MANILA (AFP): Thai and Indonesian foreign ministers arrived here Saturday for a meeting with their Philippine counterpart to discuss upcoming elections in strife-torn Cambodia with the Thai minister calling for flexibility among rival factions. Thai Foreign Minister Surin Pitsuwan told reporters minutes after arriving on a commercial flight, that "the rigidity of all sides is...

Financial crisis takes the shine off cosmetic products By Yogita Tahil Ramani JAKARTA (JP): Fueled with the gift of the gab, Desi, a confident teenager, tries to negotiate a "tiny cut" in price for a bottle of Calvin Klein perfume with a soft-spoken saleswoman. With sullen determination, the woman politely refuses the 14- year-old's whispered offer. Desi in turn forks out the cost in Rp 50,000 bills, counting each one slowly and reluctantly.

Expatriates set sail as economy sinks Indonesia may be no comparison to the immigrants' dreamland of United States, but it had a high growth in foreign workers during the economic boom. Now that the wheels are reversing and the economy is ailing, expatriates are losing their jobs or being forced to adapt. The Jakarta Post's team -- Budiman Moerdijat, Devi M. Asmarani, Edith Hartanto, Ridwan M. Sijabat, Stevie Emilia and Oka Budhi Yogaswara -- covers the issue.

We need a leader of vision We all know that Indonesia today is in the midst of a monetary crisis. Naturally many aspects have to be overcome, not just remedying the value of the rupiah against the dollar. We face chaotic problems in unemployment, education, development, distribution, urbanization and poverty, not to mention moral problems like corruption and collusion.

Expat exodus a blessing for locals: Manpower official By Ridwan M. Sijabat JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia is rapidly losing its status as a promised land for expatriate workers. They are leaving in droves. In December of last year, the Ministry of Manpower recorded 48,417 expatriates employed in various sectors. By January, about 17,000 of these were forced to pack their bags and head home because their employers could no longer pay their U.S. dollar-denominated salaries.