New minister sets goal on sports prestige JAKARTA (JP): Newly appointed State Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, Agung Laksono, has promised to work hard and be open in his quest to improve the country's sports achievements nationally and internationally. "I promise to work hard and not to give trouble to Bapak President," Agung said in his first statement after the announcement of the new cabinet lineup yesterday.

Romantic treat of a lifetime at The Oberoi MEDANA BEACH, Lombok (JP): You are on your honeymoon, and celebrate by booking a flight to Lombok and making a reservation at a resort there. On arriving -- it is twilight -- you open the door to your room and almost cannot believe your eyes.

IB Said the potrait painter to the high and mighty By Linawati Sidarto JAKARTA (JP): The bespectacled man sat hunched on an elevated, makeshift bench, concentrating on a faded photograph of President Soeharto, then returning his gaze to the oversized canvas in front of him. "Capturing Soeharto's face is both easy and difficult," commented IB Said in his studio, a dark, high-ceilinged, disused fire engine garage in Kemayoran, Central Jakarta. "He is gentle but serious.

Profile of members of the new cabinet Feisal Tanjung, Coordinating Minister for Defense and Security: The former Armed Forces chief takes on the role left vacant since December following the death of Soesilo Soedarman. Born June 17, 1939, in Tarutung, North Sumatra, Feisal entered the military academy in 1958. His military education includes training at the Fuhrungs Akademie der Bunderwehr in Germany and the International Defense Management Course in the United States.

The fine art of picking the nation's chosen few JAKARTA (JP): When then Lt. Gen. Soeharto was entrusted by the People's Consultative Assembly to form a cabinet in 1966, it was the first time in years in which the process could be considered devoid of bickering over who would get which ministerial post. Installed in July of the same year, this was the "Kabinet Ampera", named for the acronym Amanat Penderitaan Rakyat (Message of the People's Suffering).

Yogyakarta's humanist punks rock on By Tedy Novan YOGYAKARTA (JP): Punk may be dead in the West, but it is burgeoning in Yogyakarta. Members of one punk community, know as Blackboots, are an everyday sight here. Following in the tradition of some 20 years ago, the punks sport eye-catching 'Mohican' hair styles, with spiky, dyed hair in the middle of shaven scalps. Tight jeans, black military-style boots and tattoos complete their trade mark facade.

Little things mean a lot in making a great hotel in Bali This is a time of crisis, yes, but that does not mean everything has come to a complete stop. Life continues, although for many it means a cut in their spending. The Oberoi Resorts Indonesia, a division of the Oberoi Group of Hotels, belongs to the optimistic fold, and invited a group of journalists to its resorts in Bali and Lombok from Feb. 24-Feb. 27. The promotion trip was organized in cooperation with Merpati Nusantara Airline.

Karlina Leksono has courage of convictions A demonstration at the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle by women protesting the rising price of milk ultimately led to a packed courtroom, and an intense public debate. The center of attention among the three women arrested was astronomer Karlina Leksono, who talked to The Jakarta Post last week. JAKARTA (JP): It was a defining moment. Karlina Leksono had been given a poem by her high school science teacher, something which was to change her life.

Soeharto presents new cabinet JAKARTA (JP): President Soeharto has brought in business leaders, scholars, politicians and bureaucrats among new faces in the 36-strong cabinet to help him tackle the economic crisis. In the new lineup which he announced yesterday, Soeharto retained 12 figures from the previous team to ensure continuity, and enlisted 24 new faces, including his eldest daughter Siti Hardijanti Rukmana, to inject new blood into the new cabinet.

Several more alternatives to customize your Winword 97 By Zatni Arbi JAKARTA (JP): Although VisiCalc has always been considered the killer application that sparked the personal computer revolution, the fact is that the large majority of us use our PCs and Macs for word processing, for churning out pages after pages of documents. And, when we talk about a word processing program nowadays, the fact is that the majority of users now have Microsoft Word.

Eight pages The Jakarta Post is reducing the number of pages -- from 12 to 8 -- beginning today as part of its cost-cutting measures. We will publish 12-page editions on those days when the amount of advertising reaches a reasonable level. We hope these will be temporary measures, and that the Post will be able to gradually expand its number of pages when the economic situation allows. -- The Publisher

Guess What? Marissa haque Actress and founder of the local production house PT Rana Artha Mulia, Marissa Haque, says she has more to celebrate than the debut of her teleserial production, Antara Jakarta Dan Perth (Between Jakarta and Perth), to be broadcast on private TV station RCTI in the middle of next month. She joined several parents of children enrolled in a prestigious school in Bintaro, Tangerang, in a protest against the school's policy of charging fees at the market rate for the U.S.

Spotlight Photo A: Hilton Jakarta Hilton International FINANCIAL AFFAIRS: Deputy minister of finance of Brunei Darussalam, Pehin Dato Haji Achmad Wally Skinner (left), receives a warm welcome from general manager of Jakarta Hilton International, Michael Nigitsh. The minister was in the city for the ASEAN Ministers of Finance Meeting from Feb. 26 to March 1.

Hotel strives to survive crisis, security issues LEGIAN, Bali (JP): First the haze, then the monetary crisis. As if those were not bad enough, the tourist industry is enduring another blow from media coverage of the riots that have erupted in many towns across the country as people grapple with ever increasing prices of the staples. Theoretically, the plunge of the rupiah against the U.S. dollar by 73 percent should have brought in hordes of tourists to the country.

How news ministers reacted on calls from President JAKARTA (JP): For anyone, the news of being honored with a cabinet appointment is a day to remember. But the initial shock of being told of the heavy responsibilities about to be placed on one's shoulders can come at the oddest time. Then it is compounded further by the fact that the individual sometimes cannot reveal such a breaking news item to even the closest relative.

Watercraft made much earlier than thought NEW YORK (AP): Stone tools on an Indonesian island show that human ancestors crossed large stretches of water more than 800,000 years ago -- much earlier than scientists had been able to show before, researchers say. The age of the tools indicates that Homo erectus reached the island of Flores sometime between 800,000 years and 900,000 years ago, researchers said.

Gatotkaca and Superman I am writing this in response to Laila Faisal's article in the Feb. 22, Sunday edition of The Jakarta Post. It says that Gatotkaca has a lot to learn from Superman whose characteristics are popular with young people, especially women. Gatotkaca has nothing to learn from Superman. He is one of the many characters in the Mahabharata.

Hashimoto arrives here JAKARTA (JP): Japanese Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto and his 30-strong entourage arrived here yesterday evening on a two- day working visit. The prime minister and President Soeharto will hold bilateral talks this morning to discuss the economic crisis in Indonesia. The talks will be held at Soeharto's private residence on Jl. Cendana, Central Jakarta.

Gemstone talks in Banjarmasin JAKARTA (JP): Banjarmasin will host the first international conference and exhibition on gems and tourism from March 22 to March 25, an official said.

What they expect from the new cabinet members JAKARTA (JP): The days before the announcement of the new cabinet saw a flurry of excitement and guessing about who might make it into the lineup. The following people shared their hopes and expectations of the incoming ministers before the cabinet was announced yesterday. Fahmi Idris, CEO of the Kodel business group: I really hope the new cabinet will have a strong and capable economic team because the main agenda for it is how to tackle the crisis.

Tidbits about the new cabinet JAKARTA (JP): The following are tidbits about the new cabinet: * Family ties: Siti Hardijanti Rukmana, the new social services minister, is Soeharto's eldest daughter. Justika S. Baharsjah, the new agriculture minister, is the wife of the previous agriculture minister Sjarifuddin Baharsjah. * Longest serving: Ginandjar Kartasasmita and Hartarto Sastrosoenarto, both coordinating ministers, are serving their fourth successive cabinet terms.

TV today TVRI 6:00 a.m. News 6:45 Religious Teachings: Hikmah Pagi 7:15 Healthy and Fresh 7:30 Children's Program: Arena Kami 9:00 People and Event 9:30 Cooking Program: Indonesian Food 10:00 TVRI News 10:30 Music: Album Minggu 11:30 Teenager's Program: Temu Remaja 12:15 p.m.

7th Development Cabinet Coordinating ministers: 1. Political and Security: Gen. (ret.) Feisal Tanjung 2. Economy, Finance and Industry/chairman of National Development Planning Board: Vice Marshal (ret.) Ginandjar Kartasasmita 3. Development Supervision and State Administrative Reform: Hartarto Sastrosoenarto 4. People`s Welfare and Poverty Eradication/chairman of National Family Planning Board: Haryono Suyono Ministers with port-folios: 5. Home Affairs: Gen. (ret.) R. Hartono 6.

The minister-to-be and that telephone call By Ahmad Junaidi and Sugianto Tandra JAKARTA (JP): The announcement of cabinets have always contained an element of surprise, not least because those appointed have stoically held their tongues to even those in their families before the announcement by the President. Former Army chief of staff Rudini said he had just adjusted to the world of business when the telephone call came, leading to his new position of minister of home affairs from 1988 to 1993.