Seven ailing banks suspended JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Finance Fuad Bawazier announced yesterday the suspension of seven commercial banks and the placing of another seven under the management of the Indonesian Bank Restructuring Agency, including large Bank Danamon, Bank Dagang Nasional Indonesia and state Bank Ekspor-Impor Indonesia.

The pitfalls of teaching in English Veteran education expert Mochtar Buchori has tirelessly advocated higher quality education throughout his illustrious career. The Jakarta Post reporter Ida Indawati Khouw talked to the former rector of the Islamic Muhammadiyah Institute and former Vice Chairman of the National Institute of Sciences recently at his home about the government's plan to allow the use of English in the teaching of mathematics and science.

S'pore sets special court SINGAPORE (AP): In an effort to bring illegal immigrants more quickly to trial, Singapore has created a special court inside the prison where they are held, a newspaper reported yesterday. "It will facilitate the timely and secure production before a district judge or magistrate, within 48 hours, of illegal immigrants or overstayers who have been arrested," a court spokesman told The Straits Times.

Teaching non-English subjects in English a distant dream JAKARTA (JP): The government's policy to allow high schools to teach subjects like mathematics and physics in English seems a distant dream for most high schools. Good English teachers who are able to teach in English are hard to find, especially in the provinces. It is no secret that high school graduates in general speak poor English and they need to take English courses to improve their skills.

Kuala Lumpur offers to send 14 RI migrants to 3rd country KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters): Malaysia is willing to arrange for the passage to a third country for 14 Indonesian immigrants holed up in a U.N. refugee agency if they make a request for it, the national Bernama news agency reported yesterday. It quoted Deputy Home Minister Mohammed Tajol Rosli Ghazali, who told reporters in northern Ipoh town that the group has not contacted him so far.

Guess What? Haryono Suyono Being the first of something is enough to make Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare and Poverty Eradication Haryono Suyono proud. "I am the first minister since our independence in 1945 who is especially assigned to alleviate poverty," he said proudly. Haryono, formerly a state minister for population and chairman of the National Family Planning Board, asked journalists to give more coverage on his activities to help poor people.

Sculptors pack a punch with stark creations By Chandra Johan JAKARTA (JP): A structure of chairs sandwiching bricks was a puzzling view in the recent exhibition of the Trienalle Jakarta II 1998: Contemporary Sculpture competition. Nothing was processed -- it was just that, one chair on top of another with bricks in between. The creator was Gus Barlian who named his work Kursi Gagasan Batas (Chairs as concepts of limits).

TV today TVRI 6:00 a.m. News: Sari Berita Sepekan 6:30 Morning Focus 6:45 Healthy and Fresh 7:00 Religious Teachings: Hikmah Pagi 7:30 Children's Program: Arena Kami 8:00 Children's Film: Kumbang and Family 8:30 Children's Program: Nuansa Anak 9:30 Variety Show: Widya Wahana 10:00 Talk Show: Etika 10:30 Music: Album Minggu 11:30 Talk Show: Bincang-Bincang 12:15 p.m.

Who says a personal computer keyboard can only have 104 keys? By Zatni Arbi JAKARTA (JP): Keyboards that allow you to dance with the software are not new. Years ago, I bought an OmniKey keyboard from Northgate that I could set in such a way that the keys would have additional functions to the standard ones. I liked it very much but, unfortunately, it didn't last very long. Just a few months ago, I talked about HP Brio's keyboard that had all those useful extra rubber buttons on its right side.

ASEAN ministers seek to contain RI forest fires BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN (Reuters): ASEAN environment ministers agreed yesterday a package of measures to combat smog from Indonesian forest fires and avert one of the century's worst ecological disasters. In a statement released after the meeting in Brunei's capital, the ministers from the nine-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) proposed that fires in East Kalimantan be contained rather than any attempt made to put them out.

World leader attack speculators in Asian crisis LONDON (Reuters): European and Asian leaders handed a diplomatic victory to Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad on Friday by agreeing that speculation in financial markets could be a cause of economic instability. At the prompting of Mahathir, supported by several European countries, leaders of 25 Asian and European countries meeting here made a late change to a statement on the Asian financial crisis to insert a reference to speculation.

A fragment of Yogyakarta culture Cikar Bobrok (Ramshackle horse cart); By Sindhunata; Kanisius and Bentara Budaya, Yogyakarta; 277 pp + xii YOGYAKARTA (JP): Journalism is a both noisy and silent world. Its clamor is marked with the demand for high mobility and a strong spirit of adventure. First of all, it is the job of a journalist to expose a reality so that everybody can learn of what has happened, is happening and will happen.

Few local universities ready to teach in English By Sugianto Tandra and Johannes Simbolon JAKARTA (JP): When the Indonesian Business Institute toughened its requirements on English skills for enrollment, more students signed up. Rudolf Sinaga, head of the institute's research and development department, said this reflected "greater public interest in the kind of education that uses English a lot".

Mt. Kemukus: A place with a difference By Tedy Novan YOGYAKARTA (JP): The economic crisis has driven many confused and frustrated people to seek their own refuge. Some have chosen to visit places where mysticism reigns. Mount Kemukus is one such place. This mountain is located near Pendem village, Sumber Lawang, 32 kilometers to the west of Sragen, Central Java.

Beautiful Mount Leuser Park in Aceh a potential tourist spot By Syahruddin Hamzah LEUSER, Aceh (Antara): The forests of Mount Leuser National Park that contain more than 4,000 rare species of flora and fauna are one of the incomparably rich natural beauties in Aceh province. The very enchanting natural park covering an area of two million hectares goes from sea level in the Kluet area in South Aceh, to 3,000-meter-high mountains.

'TPI' and 'SCTV' to resume their normal airtime JAKARTA (JP): TV stations TPI and SCTV will resume normal airtime tomorrow, after slashing airtime two months ago due to a significant drop in advertisers, station representatives said. TPI public relations manager Theresia Ellasari said the station, which had suffered a 30 percent drop in commercial placements, had decided to resume its average airtime of 17.7 hours a day.

At 70, Bagong vows to continue his dedication to arts By Achmad Zaenal YOGYAKARTA (Antara): At the venerable age of 70, Bagong Kussudiardja, a versatile artist from Yogyakarta, has made up his mind never to stop creating works of art. His latest dance production, Sanggit (Interpretation), which was performed in Yogyakarta last week and will be staged in Surakarta on April 11, attests to the resolve of this gray-haired artist.

Ayu cheers up gloomy literature scene By Prasetyohadi JAKARTA (JP): A young writer has provided solace for the Indonesian literary scene, which has been in the shadow of prevailing gloom, with a unique novel. Deep, mesmerizing chains of reflection-imbibed prose combined with a prolific mastery of the Indonesian language earned Ayu Utami the Chairil Anwar Literary Award organized by the Jakarta Arts Council.

No signs of economic crisis in West Java's Dukuh village By Kafil Yamin PAMEUNGPEUK, West Java (JP): Fuss about the present economic squeeze is not heard of here. Women in the village are busy cooking. Their husbands are at work in the fields, while their children play in a vast garden. Next to the garden, two naked children swim happily in a pool.

Banks suspended No. Banks Total Assets (Rp billion) As of June, 1997 ----------------------------------- 1. Bank Centris 677.49 2. Bank Deka 245.88 3. Bank Hokindo 270.52 4. Bank Kredit Asia 524.86 5. Bank Pelita 1,270.05 6. Bank Subentra 1,141.68 7. Bank Surya 1,644.30 Banks put under IBRA management No. Banks Co-managed Total Assets by (Rp billion) As of June, 1997 ------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. Bank Ekspor Impor -- 25,762.22 2.

Tastes differ One day a friend of mine from North Sulawesi (Minahasa) sent me a favorite dish, the ingredients of which consists mostly of bat's meat. Although the dish is considered a delicacy in that part of Indonesia, it is not popular or liked by the people on Java island. Perhaps it is due to the strange appearance of a bat which reminds people of a vampire, even though a bat feasts on insects and fruit and is therefore quite hygienic and nutritious.

Goverment speaks up for use of English in schools The recent government policy allowing the use of English in teaching several subjects in high schools and universities is the hot issue among educators and students. The Jakarta Post's reporters Johannes Simbolon, Sugianto Tandra, Ida Indawati Khouw, Sylvia Gratia M. Nirang and Yogita Tahil Rahmani compiled the following reports. Photos are by IGGP Bayu Ismoyo. JAKARTA (JP): Teaching English in English is old news.