I'm an Indonesian of Chinese descent I was upset when I read a letter from Sumarsono Sastrowardoyo (Your Letters, May 30, 1998). How could I help not feeling so, as practically everybody knows that from the National Awakening period up to the proclamation of independence, and from the time Indonesia was led by Bung Karno up to the time when the country was under Soeharto many (not all, of course) Indonesians of Chinese descent fought shoulder to shoulder with indigenous Indonesians.

Political talk shows: Rebel without a pause By Antariksawan Jusuf JAKARTA (JP): They may not have the mass appeal of news programs broadcast during the recent turmoil, but television political talk shows have apparently stolen many people's hearts. The programs provide the audience with differing views on interesting topics through lively and entertaining debates.

Saving the titanic bureaucracy from sinking By Christiani S. Tumelap JAKARTA (JP): Our bureaucracy is such a mess. It's like a huge ship with many complex systems and networks which is about to sink during a cruise to an obscure destination. Many parts of the bodywork have been rusted by overwhelming personal and clique interests. Meanwhile, its battalions of civil servant sailors cannot stop it from sinking because they simply do not have the expertise of operating the ship.

Mahatir, opposition trade charges BUKIT SAGU, Malaysia (Reuters): Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad and the opposition leader swapped accusations yesterday in a running battle between the political rivals. Mahathir accused Lim Kit Siang, secretary general of the Democratic Action Party (DAP), of using his party to protect his son Lim Guan Eng, who is DAP deputy secretary general.

Facing the red tape in public services, its reality By Christiani S. Tumelap and Stevie Emilia JAKARTA (JP): "There's no need to do it yourself, just pay more and you'll get it fast." That's familiar advice anytime one plans to apply for a driver's license or an identity card. The advice might be untrue, but it is no secret that one can get both driver's license and identity card processed faster and easier if extra rupiah is attached to the documents.

Women's dignity is the casualty in the mass rapes By Rita A. Widiadana JAKARTA (JP): Words are not enough to describe the anguish, helplessness and humiliation of a woman raped. Feelings of their male kin, some of whom saw with their own eyes the assaults on their wives and daughters, are equally difficult to put into neat, articulate sentences. Hananto, not his real name, said his wife chose death to end the pain. Deeply shamed, she refused to eat and speak after her rape.

The long road towards better public service How can calls for reform help citizens to get better public services? The Jakarta Post reporters Aloysius Unditu, Christiani S. Tumelap, Johannes Simbolon, Lukman Natanegara, Stevie Emilia and Ridwan M. Sijabat examine the issue. JAKARTA (JP): From the cradle to the grave, once a person has been born there is no way that he or she can avoid administrative procedures.

One plus one equals none in the 'Iron Mask' By Oren Murphy JAKARTA (JP): For those who have tired of seeing Leonardo DiCaprio's face plastered on posters, T-shirts and other Titanic accessories, there might be a natural inclination to avoid seeing the new film in which he stars, The Man in the Iron Mask. It is, perhaps, not surprising that the caliber of his performance in the film does not match up to the size of his fame.

Timors sold for food SAMARINDA, East Kalimantan (ANTARA): East Kalimantan's provincial administration is ready to sell the Timor cars being used by local legislators to be able to purchase the nine basic commodities for the people, an official has said. The provincial legislative body will also revise the provincial budget for fiscal year 1998-99, its head, Harsono, said during a discussion with hundreds of students from various universities here Friday.

Baturaden's springs a respite from stress PURWOKERTO, Central Java (JP): Locals will tell you that the springs at Baturaden, where cool weather, scenic beauty and a choice of cool or hot water, heal any kind of stress you care to mention. The hot springs are created from geothermal power from Mount Slamet, on whose slopes Baturaden is located. The original temperature of the water from the springs is 50 degrees Celsius; this is adjusted as it flows toward visitors lounging in the pools and tubs.

British film festival features contemporary and comedy By Marselli Sumarno JAKARTA (JP): The young man's name is Comsack. A young poet with an exploding nature, a little bit eccentric perhaps. On one hand he feels awkward in the midst of middle class society, on the other hand he is unemployed yet loves to dine in expensive restaurants. The young woman is Comsack's lover. A very talented illustrator with an established career. But she has been suffering for a long time.

The missing wife By Sartono Kusumaningrat Feeling utterly exhausted, Karep wheeled his Honda CB motorcycle into the central room, which also functioned as sitting room, living room, dining room and garage for his motor vehicle. The clock on the wall showed the hour was midnight minus a few minutes. In that room he was welcomed not by his wife, but by his mother, whom he called Simbok. "Your wife has not come home, Rep." "Oh, where did she go, Mbok?" "She told me she was going to visit a friend.

Permadi beats Ardy in U.S. Open semis ORANGE, California (Reuters): Taiwan's Fung Permadi upset top seed Ardy Wiranata of Indonesia 10-15, 15-8, 15-7 on Friday night to reach the final of the U.S. Open badminton tournament. Permadi, ranked 31st in the world, will play Scotland's Bruce Flockhart in yesterday's final after Flockhart upset second- seeded American Kevin Han 15-10, 15-7 in the other men's singles semifinal.

Repairing burned shops is easiest part of aftermath By Yogita Tahil Ramani JAKARTA (JP): President B.J. Habibie assured the country that he "would take care of all traders," Chinese-Indonesian or not, during his tour of several Jakarta shopping centers damaged in the May 14 riots. But the charred ruins of buildings lining Jl. Mangga Dua Raya in North Jakarta, and Chinatown in Glodok, West Jakarta, tell a different story.

Sintong gets new post JAKARTA (JP): Minister/State Secretary Akbar Tandjung swore-in Lt. Gen. (ret) Sintong Panjaitan (center) as Secretary of Development Operation yesterday. Here in the photo Sintong is seen chatting with his predecessor -- the current Minister of Information Yunus Yosfiah (left) -- and Minister of Transmigration A.M. Hendropriyono. Sintong, 57, was drafted onto Habibie's expert staff for security and defense affairs early last month when the latter was still vice president.

An appeal to respect nation's diversity Kekayaan, agama dan kekuasaan, Identitas dan Konflik di Indonesia (Timur) Modern (Wealth, religion and power, identity and conflict in modern (eastern) Indonesia); By P.M.

How Yogyakarta managed to avoid storm of riots By Tedy Novan and Sutan Malekewi YOGYAKARTA (JP): Last month's storm of massive riots that hit Jakarta and several other provincial cities steered clear of Yogyakarta. How did this ancient city manage to escape the violence? It certainly was a center of student demonstrations leading to Soeharto's fall and was a city on edge after the riots in Jakarta. Maybe Jakartans and residents of other areas hit by the turmoil should reflect on this question.

Spotlight Photo A: Hilton Jakarta Hilton International Hotel WELCOME, CHIEF: Australia's Army chief, Gen. John S. Baker (second right), is greeted by Angkoso Soekadari, front office manager of the Jakarta Hilton International's Lagoon Tower upon his arrival on May 30. Baker was a guest of former minister of defense Gen. (ret.) Edi Sudradjat.

Maria Hofker helps bring Bali to the world By Boudewijn Brands AMSTERDAM (JP): This is a story of another of those foreign painters who fell in love with Bali. The works of Maria Hofker, 95, were among those which brought Bali to the world, though she has been largely overshadowed by her husband's art. Her sketches and watercolors have been collected in several books, including Indonesian Impressions, published in 1994 in the Netherlands.

Reform movement, racial violence in Surakarta By Risang Pamungkastiran and Tedy Novan SURAKARTA, Central Java (JP): In just three days, Surakarta was destroyed by fire. Starting as a peaceful demonstration May 14 at Surakarta Muhammadiyah University demanding reform, riots followed, with looting, plundering and fires spreading throughout the town.

Crisis centers first step in overcoming trauma JAKARTA (JP): She was once a cheerful girl and one of the brightest students in her school. Now the 16-year-old is in a state of shock and suffering very acute depression. This is the description of the teenager's mother, who with her daughter, a rape victim in the recent riots, managed to summon the courage to report the incident to a crisis center.

No one wants complicated bureaucracy to continue JAKARTA (JP): As the expiry dates of our personal documents, like identity cards (IDs), draw near, we are filled with dread. Expatriates come away with a hell-like impression of the country when dealing directly with government officials. Wiser locals leave it to the specialists.

Tarring others with the brush of hatred JAKARTA (JP): My grandmother was an unwavering creature of habit. She ate a spartan breakfast of strong, unsweetened tea with a splash of milk every day, watched the evening news on the dot faithfully and voted Tory throughout her life despite her working class background. And, as we often found out to our cost, she had no time for Asians. I saw her erratically when I was a child, for my family lived in South Africa and then the U.S.