Forbidden love at Betawi theater JAKARTA (JP): Forbidden love based on the classic Sampek Engtay Chinese folktale is the plot of a drama scheduled to be staged tomorrow in the form of a Betawi (native Jakarta) farce. The play, Sami'un Engtay (Sami'un is a common Betawi male name) will be performed by the Kembang Latar theater group headed by former politician and Betawi native Ridwan Saidi. Directed by Agus Firmansyah, the story is of people of two different ethnic backgrounds falling in love.

SBI rates raised to prop up rupiah JAKARTA (JP): Bank Indonesia (BI) raised again yesterday its interest rates on short-term promissory notes (SBIs) for all maturities by between 3 percent and 5 percent in an effort to shore up the rupiah and curb inflation. The central bank governor, Sjahril Sabirin, said yesterday he understood the measure would force more companies out of business and put a further burden on the people.

New executive train launched YOGYAKARTA: Minister of Communications Giri Suseno Hadihardjono inaugurated the new executive class train Dwipangga yesterday at Balapan Solo Railway Station. Poernomo, spokesman of the state railway company Perumka, said the new six-car executive train should satisfy demands for an increased capacity in comfortable modes of public transportation. He said the economic crisis had raised the price of plane tickets and that train ticket sales had consequently increased.

KSOs install 1m new phone lines as of 1997 JAKARTA (JP): State telecommunications firm PT Telkom's five contractors announced yesterday they had installed 1.01 million new telephone lines by the end of 1997, or 50.1 percent of the target to be reached by the end of 1999. The contractors, known as Telkom's KSO partners, said they had invested US$1.12 billion in their two years of existence and paid Telkom $200 million as an initial investment.

Housewives, nuns, prostitutes join protests JAKARTA (JP): Housewives, several nuns and a number of sex workers were seen mingling with thousands of female students and activists holding rallies demanding an end to the economic crisis and sweeping reforms in various cities yesterday.