Habibie a perfect match for Soeharto JAKARTA (JP): The vice presidential election is not until Wednesday, but most informed citizens believe B.J. Habibie will get the nod after all five factions in the People's Consultative Assembly picked him as their sole candidate. Any question whether President Soeharto -- whose reelection is also almost a certainty -- would approve of Habibie as his vice president is obviously rhetorical as the two have long been known to be very close.

Commission deliberations end smoothly on last day JAKARTA (JP): The final day of commission-level deliberations in the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) went smoothly yesterday with only a minor "interruption" on a technical issue. The end of the commission meetings sets the stage for tomorrow's plenary session to formally endorse the State Policy Guidelines and other decrees, including a provision to grant extra powers to the president.

Enjoying underwater gardens JAKARTA (JP): Talk of wanting to dive, and Nunung Hasan, head of Dive Indonesia, will perk up. She will not even try to persuade you to take it up. She will, in turn, speak of diving as if she were reliving her countless underworld experiences. "Imagine you are in a beautiful garden," says Nunung. Nunung, 44, recalls with passion her swimming in between hammerhead sharks in the port of Sudan. Sharks, she assures, are "quite shy" as long as they're not provoked.

Inter-faith prayers held JAKARTA (JP): A loosely associated group of women, Seruni (Indonesian Women's Call), are inviting women of all creeds to a joint prayer to mark International Women's Day today. Women's Day is held to observe women's fight for justice, progress and peace. The prayer, Doa Perempuan Antar Iman Untuk Tanah Air (Women's prayer of various faiths for the country), will be held today at the Kolese Kanisius at Jl. Menteng Raya 64-65, Central Jakarta, from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Dutch journalist ordered to leave RI within a week JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian government has ordered a Dutch journalist to leave the country within a week for bringing three people without proper identification papers into the People's Consultative Assembly building.

Catchphrases as life vests in a storm JAKARTA (JP): The last few months have been the time to brandish those tired cliches your mother uttered when your little world seemed to be crumbling around you. Every cloud has a silver lining. No pain, no gain. What does not kill you, makes you stronger. We learn from our mistakes.

Medicine becoming a luxury few can afford By Stevie Emilia JAKARTA (JP): The crisis strikes without mercy, including the sick. As drug prices skyrocket and people make hard decisions on purchases, lives are at stake. "I just hope neither of my two children get sick," said taxi driver Kusnadi.

Natural curtains the attraction of Gong Cave PACITAN (Antara): In an East Java village, a cave once avoided for being haunted, draws scores of local and foreign tourists. Gong Cave is in the Bomo village of Punung district, Pacitan. Its beauty lies in its natural "paintings", formed by water dripping down its walls, the white-brownish hues of stalactites and stalagmites and a lake in the middle. The rocks glow in the sunlight. Upon entering the cave, visitors are free to interpret its paintings.

Health clubs pinch pocketbooks JAKARTA (JP): Mother of three Dariyati has had to make a lot of compromises in her life. But, at 46, she insists she will not sacrifice her looks to ravages of time or finances. After reluctantly agreeing to give up her wish to immediately start a family because of financial constraints, she had her first child two years into her marriage. Her second and third children came in the following years.

Sidewalk drug vendors doctor rich and poor By Stevie Emilia JAKARTA (JP): "I have a pain in my stomach, and every time I eat something I want to throw up," a man told a roadside drug seller in Bendungan Hilir, Central Jakarta. Smiling confidently, Aman selected a drug off his kiosk's cluttered shelf. "Swallow or chew this tablet three times a day after meals and you will be just fine, but remember to eat regularly," he said as he handed over a strip of Milanta tablets for gastric problems.

Indochina braces for economic turbulence By Nick J Freeman The financial turmoil in Southeast Asia will soon affect trade and investments of the Indochina countries, which should resist any temptation to backtrack on economic reform.

Pancasila's noble values From Media Indonesia I am a layman in politics but I feel tempted to comment on Sarwono Kusumaatmadja's statement in which he said that the Pancasila philosophy is excessively protected by the government, so that Pancasila, as an ideology, has become lonely and therefore needs a challenge. (Media Indonesia, Feb.19.) In my opinion the values of Pancasila are part of the soul of Indonesians, whether they are conscious or not of the philosophy.

Din Syamsudin Correction: In yesterday's story Golkar Defends Its Policies to Foreign Press, the second paragraph incorrectly identified one of the participants in the media briefing as Nazaruddin Syamsudin, instead of Din Syamsudin. We apologize for the error. -- Editor

People's thoughts on the drug crisis JAKARTA (JP): Removed from fears of layoffs and food shortages, most of us are willing ourselves to stay healthy. Medicines, suddenly exorbitantly expensive and hard to find, rank as a luxury item for many. What is the public's prescription for dealing with the dilemma? Sri Hartini, a housewife and mother of three: I'm not highly educated, I don't ask questions about drugs prescribed by my doctor ...

UCI complains on unpaid allowances JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Cycling Association has received a written complaint from the International Cycling Union (UCI) because the association has yet to pay umpires' allowances for the 19th SEA Games cycling competition here last October. The association's vice chairman, Hario Tilarso, said Friday that three foreign umpires led the competition in road race, mountain bike and track events.

Crisis puts brakes on rush to country's sports clubs SUKABUMI, West Java (JP): Following a 45-minute drive from Jakarta's clamor, a young woman stands on a deafeningly quiet airstrip. She slowly walks towards a bird of a machine. She has decided to try hang gliding, part of the amenities of the Aryaduta Hotel Lido open to the public. "Have you ever flown a motorized hang glider before?" instructor Gerhard S.

Govt to save students JAKARTA (JP): The government plans to provide subsidized loans to students at both state and private universities to enable them to complete their studies, a Ministry of Education and Culture official said. "It would be a waste if students who have made it to the sixth semester are forced to quit their studies," Joetata Hadihardaja, the ministry's director of private universities, said on Friday. Procedures to obtain the loans will be announced soon, Joetata said.

IMF may not release $3b payment until April WASHINGTON (Reuters): The International Monetary Fund said on Friday its board would not discuss Indonesia's economic reform program before April, effectively delaying a $3 billion payment expected by March 15. An IMF spokesman said the IMF hoped a review of the reforms could be completed soon after changes to "macroeconomic assumptions" had been agreed with a new government team.

Soeharto: A soldier who never abandons the battlefield Soeharto and B.J. Habibie are the names likely to steal headlines in the coming days. They are the sole candidates for president and vice president respectively in the ongoing session of the People's Consultative Assembly. Sri Wahyuni explores the backgrounds of the two statesmen in the following articles.

Guess What? Slamet Rahardjo JAKARTA (JP): Director Slamet Rahardjo has wrapped his latest film, Telegram, but it may be a while until we can see it. Due to the ongoing crisis and long-standing money woes of the local movie industry, viewers may have to "wait until monetary situations subside ... hopefully after May," the 49-year-old said. "The capacity of buying and selling movies has drastically worsened due to the crisis." The wait may not be as long for international moviegoers.

Rising medical costs take heavy toll on public health By Rita A. Widiadana JAKARTA (JP): The now familiar term monetary crisis is taking on a tragic meaning in the cost to public health. Four patients suffering from kidney failure died in Bali, reportedly after medical supplies ran out. In Bekasi, east of Jakarta, half of the 130 health clinics have stopped providing services due to the lack of medicines. Supplies in hospitals and public health centers elsewhere are also running out.

Public ailing over acute drug crisis Expensive as it may be, many Indonesians have no choice but to pay increasingly skyrocketing prices for indispensable medical supplies. The government is doing all it can about the country's dependence on imported health drugs and equipment. Stevie Emilia of The Jakarta Post and contributor Rita A. Widiadana have compiled the accounts of medical experts, officials and those who must take care of sick loved ones.

Time to keep wary eye on art treasures By Astri Wright VICTORIA, Canada (JP): The emphasis in Indonesian media and art exhibitions in the last few years was on emerging painters. Young men and women who 10 years ago would have had a terribly hard time gaining access to mounting solo exhibitions in smaller galleries were invited to hold large shows in the nation's most established galleries.

Hostage-takers agree to wait for lawyer DAVAO (AFP): A group of prisoners who are holding five women hostage in a southern Philippine penal colony have agreed on Saturday to drop their demand for a getaway vehicle and to instead wait for a meeting with a Moslem lawyer. Dario Mahumot, leader of the hostage-takers said, in an interview aired over local radio station DXDC, that they would not leave the Davao penal colony but would wait for the lawyer dispatched by an insurgent group.