Millennium Bug: Do we still have the time to cope with the impact? By Zatni Arbi JAKARTA (JP): Think of a typical computer program as a stairway to the sky. On each step, you must pause, look carefully and try to locate one or more land mines -- if there are any. Land mines are instructions written by programmers which tell the computer to check the date in the form `DD/MM/YY'. Each time one appears it must be fixed.

Spotlight Photo A: Lippo JP/alx APPRAISAL CERTIFICATE: PT Lippo Karawaci's president commissioner Freddy Hadi Suryadihardja (center) proudly displays the ISO-9001 certificate that he just received from the president of SGS International Certification Service London, Eric Roger (right), in Jakarta recently. The event was also witnessed by Lippo Karawaci's director Ichsan Soelistio (left).

Democracy is for democrats Democracy is for democrats not for autocrats let alone bureaucrats or technocrats. But who knows times may have changed. A great bureaucrat and famous technocrat like President Habibie has touched on something that only true democrats would have raised in their speech.

Condom campaign encounters resistance JAKARTA (JP): When the government, with the strong support of non-governmental organizations (NGOs), embarked on a nationwide campaign to promote the use of condoms to check the spread of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS), there was optimism that the campaign would be a success.

Guess What? Harry Darsono There will be no lavish birthday party for famous designer Harry Darsono who turns 49 on March 15. "I am going to spend my birthday with several close friends, orphans and street children in Yogyakarta," said Harry, who left for Yogyakarta with a number of foreign diplomats, scholars and businessmen by train last Saturday.

Viratprasert, Weir Smith win junior c'ships JAKARTA (JP): Thai teenager Suchayun Viratprasert survived a shaky start to beat Indonesian underdog Frederika Girsang for the girls singles title at the 1999 Indonesia Baskin-Robbins International Junior Championships on Saturday. Second seed and world junior number 67 Viratprasert was forced to scramble back from a one-set deficit to beat the 484th-ranked Girsang 2-6, 6-2, 6-2.

Lull in Ambon violence fails to halt unease JAKARTA (JP): Calm remained in devastated Ambon on Saturday but fears were kindled by rumored abductions and the discovery of a body in the Maluku capital, witnesses and hospital staff said. "The city is calm and busier than a few days ago, but an unidentified male body was found in the Galunggung area at about 11 a.m," Devi, a staff member at Maranatha Church, told The Jakarta Post by phone.

Guess What? Rano Karno Actor and director Rano Karno, popularly known as Si Doel for his role in the TV drama Si Doel Anak Sekolahan, has been tirelessly traveling around remote villages as a special envoy of the United Nations Children Fund (Unicef). "I've been visiting many impoverished places in the country to campaign for the Aku Anak Sekolah (I am a Student) program to prevent children from dropping out of school," said Rano.

Telephone bill or Bulungan Gate? JAKARTA (JP): "Hallo, Mom. How are you?" "Fine, see you later!" "Mom, hold it! It's me. I want to know how everybody is. I want to talk to Dad too." "Everybody is fine, we love you. Assalaamu Alaikum." With that, Mrs. Bandi put the receiver. Some people have been reacting strangely to the recent escalation of telephone tariffs. The fear of paying a hefty amount of money for a short call has made them do funny things. Mrs.

Y2K could become second Asian contagion By Jason Gutierrez MANILA (AFP): A computer glitch linked to the year 2000 could spread like a contagion similar to the currency crisis that battered Asia, the World Bank's principal information officer warned. "Regional cooperation is vital," Chit Tharntong told delegates to a global Year 2000, also known as Y2K, conference here.

Pesona Rupiah Package a Grand Hyatt Bali The Pesona Rupiah Package at Grand Hyatt Bali offers a holiday temptation for your family at an affordable rupiah rate. The offer is valid until June 30, 1999, for Indonesian citizens and KITAS holders for Rp 888,000++ per room, per night.

Doomsday scenarios ruled out as Asia ups Y2K compliance By Mynardo Macaraig MANILA (AFP): A worldwide recession will not occur, Russian nuclear missiles will not accidentally launch themselves and phone lines will not go dead on the stroke of New Year's Day next year. Experts at a three-day global meeting on the "millennium bug" ruled out Doomsday scenarios but warned that Asia still has to catch up with the rest of the world in preparing for the computer-spawned problem.

RI braces for millennium bug It will be 293 days into the year 2000 when information- technology (IT) systems worldwide in many critical areas like business, government, education, and industry may crash -- putting the organizations they support on hold, at best, or out of business, at worst -- unless they manage to solve the so- called millennium bug, or damage caused by non-compliance of computers and microprocessors in embedded electronic systems to the Year 2000 Problem (Y2K).

Govt must face up to Y2K threat, advocate says By Primastuti Handayani and Reiner S. JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia is already behind schedule in dealing with the Y2K problem. What preparations are now being drawn up? The Jakarta Post interviewed Ichyar Musa, head of the national Y2K awareness division, a unit of the government task force in charge of handling the millennium bug problem. Question: Indonesia will also face the Y2K problem in the near future. What steps have been taken by the government?

Sandi undergoes operation PERTH, Australia (AFP): An Indonesian youth born with a face so deformed he had considered killing himself, has undergone the first of two operations to correct the problem, surgeons said Saturday. The surgical team, led by Perth plastic surgeon Tim Cooper, carried out complex surgery on 17-year-old Sandi Gisisi, from a coconut farming family on the tiny island of Ternate in the Halmahera group, east of Sulawesi.

Ruling coalition retains power in Sabah state KUALA LUMPUR (DPA): Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad's ruling government was returned to power late Saturday in a crucial election in the east Malaysian state of Sabah. Mahathir's multiracial Barisan Nasional (National Front) coalition government won 26 of the 48 contested seats as at 10.45 p.m. (1445 GMT) to form the new state legislative assembly for the next five- year term. The leading opposition party, Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS), grabbed 17 seats.

Dragon dance performed again after 20 years of neglect By Sugianto Tandra SINGKAWANG, West Kalimantan (JP): Carpenter Cen Hian Sen is no Jet Lee, the famous kungfu actor from Hong Kong. In fact, Hian Sen does not do the ancient Chinese martial arts. But Hian Sen resembled the film star when he performed the dragon dance here early this month. Although perhaps Hian Sen's footholds were not so firm.

Javanese in Suriname strive to preserve origins By Santo Koesoebjono PARAMARIBO (JP): The sound of the gamelan music was alluring on a sultry evening in Marinburg in a rural area some 20km east of Suriname's capital. There was a full moon. Scores of descendants of Javanese indentured laborers had come to attend a wayang kulit (shadow puppet) performance. The festivity was part of the tradition called bersih desa (cleaning the village) held after the fasting month.

Indonesian teenager Taufik makes All England history BIRMINGHAM, England (Reuters): Indonesian "wonderkid" Taufik Hidayat, 17, created a slice of badminton history on Saturday when he became the youngest player to reach the men's singles final at the All England championships. Taufik routed Olympic champion Poul-Erik Hoyer-Larsen 15-13 15-7 in another sensational performance after his elimination on Friday of second seed Fung Permadi in the quarter-finals.

Pulau Burung: A home of the heron and cormorant By David Jardine JAKARTA (JP): Pulau Untung Jawa, or "Lucky Java" island, is a felicitous name for an island. And for the couple of thousand people who call this home and make a living from fishing in the waters of the Thousand Islands, it may well be a happy place to live.

Portuguese envoy visits tense E. Timor DILI, East Timor (Reuters): The first official Portuguese representative to visit East Timor in more than 23 years arrived in its capital Dili on Saturday and said she was confident the bloodied territory would soon have its freedom. Diplomat Ana Gomes landed in the former Portuguese colony amid hope that the troubled province will soon be allowed to decide its future.

Guess What? Ully Sigar Rusady The political clamor which has practically dominated everyday life in Indonesia does not interest Ully Sigar Rusady, everyone's favorite ballad singer who specializes in environmental issues. "I have no interest at all in politics. All I can do is plant trees, not talk politics," said the 1987 recipient of the United Nations Environmental Program Award. Ully, who hails from Bandung, is passionate about forest conservation and this is evident in her ballads.

TV today TVRI 6:00 a.m. News 7:00 Morning Focus 7:15 Healthy and Fresh 7:00 Religious Teachings 7:30 Children's Program 8:00 Children's Program 8:30 Children's Program 9:30 Education Program 10:00 Family's Skill 11:30 Talk Show 12:15 p.m.

Karto's Misfortune By Sartono Kusumaningrat The heavy downpour that had pounded the hilly land since early that morning seemed to mock Karto, who wanted to go out weeding his farm. The daily rains would hasten the growth of wild grass on his cassava farm. The grass roots would suck all the nutrients from the cassava roots. They would plunder all the nutrients in the soil.

International schools study safety options before polls By Lena Rosenthal JAKARTA (JP): Life in the international community here has changed since last May's riots. Many expatriate families left Jakarta due to the economic troubles or unstable political situation; those who stayed have been forced to adapt to the new situation. Particularly concerned about the present political situation are expatriate parents whose children attend one of the capital's international schools.

Skipper jailed for smuggling PERTH, Australia (AFP): An Indonesian fishing boat skipper has been jailed for almost four years after being caught smuggling human cargo into Australia, reports here said Friday. Suaman Bin Tasar, 53, pleaded guilty in the Christmas Island Magistrate's Court to charges of putting to sea in a dangerous vessel and endangering the lives of his crew and 13 boat people. Christmas Island, south of Java in the Indian Ocean, is administered by Australia.

Anxiety and apathy as millennium bug nears JAKARTA (JP): The Y2K confusion has raised alarms in all institutions and offices which rely on a computer system to keep operations running. But as it turns out, not all people from those institutions are nervous about the "doomsday" prospect of the next millennium (Y2K).

H.B. Jassin still a major literary force on his old age By Rita Sri Hastuti JAKARTA (JP): Dressed in a brown long-sleeved batik shirt, pink sarong and with a black cap, Hans Bague Jassin came out of his room in a wheelchair to welcome guests to his house on Jl. Arimbi, Central Jakarta. He wanted to smile but at 82 he could not hide his fatigue. On Feb. 23, the Indonesian literature exponent launched his latest adaptation, Mimpi Buruk Sang Putri Raja (The Princess' Nightmare).

Have millennium bug fears been blown out of proportion? By Zatni Arbi JAKARTA (JP): In the history of the press, has there ever been a topic so widely, continuously and vigorously reported as the millennium bug? Obviously not. The bug, which is unlike the program glitch that we usually encounter in the initial releases of software products such as Windows 98 or Office 97, has been around since the 1960s.

Govt closes 38 banks, takes over seven others JAKARTA (JP): The government announced on Saturday the closure of 38 banks, including three owned by two sons and one daughter of former president Soeharto, in a bid to clean up the country's messy banking sector. The long-awaited measure also includes the takeover of seven banks and the recapitalization by the government of nine banks, Minister of Finance Bambang Subianto said on Saturday.

Popo Iskandar's painting career traced in exhibition By Wawan S. Husin "A well has been dug up" -- Tisna Sanjaya BANDUNG (JP): Popo Iskandar's 55 productive years as a painter, represented recently in a retrospective exhibition held at the National Gallery, are evidence that Indonesia's current crop of artists have more than a shallow pool of inspiration to draw on.

List of banks affected by government ruling Closed 1. Bank Aken 2. Bank Sahid Gajah Perkasa 3. Bank Putra Surya Perkasa 4. Bank Namura Internusa 5. Bank Dana Asia 6. Bank Budi Internasional 7. Bank Yakin Makmur (Yama) 8. Bank Lautan Berlian 9. Bank Danahutama 10. Bank Orient 11. Bank Papan Sejahtera 12. Bank Pesona Kriyadana 13. Bank Tata 14. Bank Intan 15. Bank Asia Pacific (Aspac) 16. Bank Sewu Internasional 17. Bank Hastin Internasional 18. Bank Indonesia Raya (Bira) 19.

Andi's paintings boast 'great sales' on opening night By Pavan Kapoor JAKARTA (JP): As the art business booms, the increasing number of red tags on the easels has generously encouraged not only gallery owners and art promoters but also rejuvenated the inspiration of artists. One such artist is surrealist Andi Suandy, who is exhibiting his artworks at the 'Indosteak' restaurant in the Mulia Tower.

Oka finishes 4th in Okinawa windsurfing JAKARTA (JP): National windsurfer Oka Sulaksana was able to muster only fourth place in an international windsurfing competition in Okinawa, Japan, on Saturday. Oka, the 13th Asian Games gold medalist in the IMCO heavy division in December, narrowly lost out with 33 points after third-ranked Tak Sum Wong of Hong Kong with 32.