Love inflames Endah, Iwan to fight for life JAKARTA (JP): Karate is not merely about fighting. In certain cases, fighters find love in karate tournaments. Women's kata karateka Endah Jubaedah of West Java met men's individual 60-kilogram kumite fighter Iwan Taher of North Sulawesi at the Kosgoro Cup karate tournament here in 1993. It turned out to be the most unusual and unforgettable experience for both of them. "We used to meet in tournaments and we never had special feelings.

A Poet By Manaf Maulana Having earned his literature degree, Pandu returned to his village, hoping that he would be able live there all his life and believing that a rural life would always bring him serenity and make him happy as a poet. Well, it was all right for him to consider himself a poet. Didn't he spend every single day of his life writing poems, which he sent to various media publications and from which he sometimes received an honorarium.

Grenades at Jakarta airport JAKARTA (JP): Five hand grenades were found on Friday afternoon in a shipment that had been abandoned for over nine years in a warehouse at the Soekarno-Hatta International Airport. No further details about the find could be collected since both airport police officers and the airport authorities could not be reached for comment. But Lt. Col.

Epileptic surgery a first in Indonesia By Bengawan SEMARANG (JP): The parents were ecstatic when their second child, Maria, was born 34 years ago. She looked just like other healthy babies. They had no inkling that Maria would be afflicted with epilepsy. "When she was about one year old, Maria started having frequent spasms, at least four times a month. A medical checkup found that she had epilepsy," her sister Lee Hwa said at Telogorejo Hospital in Semarang last Sunday.

Don't enroll above capacity I noticed an advertisement placed by Bina Nusantara University in Kompas on July 20 announcing the third entrance test for new students. What I would like to know is whether the university has the capacity to accommodate that many new students following all the entrance tests. Or maybe they will screen the new students, and only the outstanding candidates will be admitted to the university.

The question of eroticism, pornography and art By Chandra Johan JAKARTA (JP): Eroticism, pornography and sexuality is the latest hot topic amid various issues and unsolved problems. It has become controversial in the midst of the penetration of mass culture in the current globalization era, in which the limits of eroticism, pornography and art become vague and confusing.

Indonesian karatekas eye seven golds By Ivy Susanti JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia, known to dominate karate events among Southeast Asian (SEA) Games participants, is keeping a low profile on its target in the 20th Games in Brunei Darussalam by hoping to win only seven of the 19 golds at stake. The figure is half of what Indonesian karatekas took home in the 1997 Games when they grabbed 14 gold medals.

RI children face uncertain future Indonesian children have for the past few years witnessed excessive violence around them. Many have been killed in armed conflicts in Aceh, Maluku, West Kalimantan and East Timor. However, even a greater number are facing an equally rough, if not worse, fate because they are forced to enter prostitution or hard labor. In commemoration of National Children's Day on July 23, The Jakarta Post reporters Ati Nurbaiti and Santi W.E.

E. Timor military scouts come to terms with past JAKARTA (JP): A few months after former president Soeharto stepped down in May 1998, the military announced it was withdrawing its troops from East Timor. This ended some 23 years of strong military presence in the province, though there are allegations that the military is still present in other forms, such as the civilian militia.

Sujiwo Tejo: Puppet master and 'MTV' awards winner By Helly Minarti JAKARTA (JP): It may seem a strange -- if not impossible -- path for a dalang (puppet master) to release a pop album or make an entry on MTV, the iconic global youth music program. Yet, this is the story of Sujiwo Tejo, who won two awards at this year's MTV Awards.

Young Jakartans lap up fashion By Irene Sugiharto JAKARTA (JP): When we look at some of Jakarta's youth, it is hard to believe an economic crisis hit Indonesia. Jakarta's spectacular females look as if they were always on the catwalk, with their frighteningly high heels, black strapped dresses, three-quarter skirts and tank tops. What seems to be the norm now is the body revealing and feminine look most youth are conforming to.

Children suffer in East Timor conflicts By Jupriadi UJUNGPANDANG, South Sulawesi (JP): Ishak is only four months old, but he already shoulders a heavy burden from the political conflict in his birthplace, Tanah Lorosae, better known as East Timor. As Indonesia's youngest province is rocked with more turbulence and the conflicting prointegration and proindependence factions are embroiled in mutual terror, residents, be they native East Timorese or migrants, can no longer enjoy a peaceful life.

Families struggle daily in Acehnese refugee camps By Ati Nurbaiti PIDIE, Aceh (JP): At 6 a.m. a baby girl was born to 20-year- old Ernawati from a refugee center housing 2,500 Acehnese. She was rushed to a makeshift maternity ward at the local community center but would have to leave hours later if the center ran out of beds. The same center, now occupied by residents from three villages on the border of Pidie and North Aceh, is already home to two- week-old twins.

Timely analysis of Indonesian affairs Reformasi, Crisis and Change in Indonesia; Edited by Arief Budiman, Barbara Hatley and Damien Kingsbury; published by Monash Asia Institute, Melbourne, 1999; 402 pages; AU$24.95 MELBOURNE (JP): As a trading partner, Australia's interest in Indonesia has not only been limited to the country's ability to generate profit. Australia is also increasingly becoming a center for open and erudite fora on Indonesian affairs.

Asia Society promotes Indonesia's culture in U.S. By Mehru Jaffer NEW YORK (JP): Lovers of Indonesian culture here are waiting anxiously for the moment when they can relive the romance they experienced before. As the country with the largest Muslim population in the world preoccupies itself with a facelift appropriate for the new millennium, a little lull is to be expected from the country's cultural emissaries.

Rudy Choirudin shares secret recipe for success By Stevie Emilia JAKARTA (JP): When one lays eyes on him, it is difficult to figure him out as a cook. Don't expect too see his clothes stained with cooking oil and spices, and don't assume he will smell like the food he cooks. With a smile never far from his youthful face, popular cook Rudy Choirudin Soedarso smells good, and looks very much like a celebrity clad in the latest fashion.

Malaysian stint useful for hockey team JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia's men's hockey team learned a lesson from its 0-6 defeat to the Malaysian team during a 10-day overseas stint in the neighboring country in preparation for the 20th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Brunei Darussalam next month.

Latin American rhythms at new club in Jakarta By Jules Bell JAKARTA (JP): Latin American pop music already is the next big thing in Asia, and Indonesia is no exception. Hip-swinging Hispanic superstar Ricky Martin, and pop diva Jennifer Lopez, are now household names in Jakarta. MTV and local radio pulsate with the South American styled music; a fusion of Latin beats and English vocals.

Choosing a bank in a crisis By Taufik Ten years after the New Order government launched Pakto 1988 (October Package 1988), the country's banking sector is in its gloomiest era. Not only have the country's state and private banks suffered huge monetary losses, but they have also lost credibility with their clients. For example, Bank Central Asia (BCA) was affected by a major bank run, which led to the bank being made a nationalized bank (BTO).

Muslim leaders meet on alternative force JAKARTA (JP): Four leading Muslim politicians agreed on Saturday to push toward the presidential election by setting up an alliance expected to become an alternative to the existing two camps of Megawati Soekarnoputri of Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) and B.J. Habibie of Golkar Party.

Matahari's steps in awaiting value migration E-commerce is still considered a luxury in Indonesia, especially considering the fact that e-commerce infrastructure is not yet cheaply available countrywide. And in the current hard economic conditions, with the rupiah still very low against the U.S. dollar, it is almost impossible to build e-commerce infrastructure widely and cheaply. Therefore, businesses which have the potential to be affected by value migration due to e- commerce still exist.

Cartoons serve up food from an Asian perspective By Ingrid Maack JAKARTA (JP): For most people Asian food might seem to be an unlikely source of inspiration for a cartoon. However, through the eyes of Asia's best known cartoonists, it becomes a vehicle for poignant commentaries on contemporary social issues and the cultural characteristics of Asian nations.

On becoming a sustainable company When the Asian crisis hit, several major shocks were immediately felt by companies across Asia. Capital flow to the region, which continued to increase prior to the crisis, immediately reversed as investors' confidence in the region plummeted. Sharp devaluation of Asian currencies caused increasing debt defaults for both foreign debt and accounts receivables. Ballooning inflation and unemployment lowered consumer confidence and spending.

ASEAN ministers set eyes on the next millennium By Oei Eng Goan and Meidyatama Suryodiningrat SINGAPORE (JP): Foreign ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member countries wound up the 32nd annual meeting on Saturday with strong determination to continue the regional grouping's process of self-renewal while strengthening its political and economic roles in international fora in the coming millennium. Singapore Foreign Minister S.

Will freedom of press replace gossip? JAKARTA (JP): My weekly visit to the mall is not just for shopping, but also for a visit to my hairdresser. My hairdresser is the old-fashioned unisex type, where people of both sexes can get their hair done by male or female stylist of their choice all in the same space.

Soeharto's health on the mend: Doctor JAKARTA (JP): Doctors said on Saturday that former president Soeharto was on the mend four days after he was admitted to Pertamina Hospital for a mild stroke. Hospital director Sudjono Martoadmodjo said Soeharto no longer felt dizzy and had stop vomiting. Intensive physiotherapy sessions were being held to help the 78-year-old former strongman regain the use of his right hand and right leg.

A novel deceit A middle-aged unmarried lady who happens to be a parishioner of a church has become the victim of a new mode of deceit. One day when walking on one of Jakarta's main streets, she felt a hand touching her shoulder and a stranger (also a woman) accosted her under the pretext of asking for some information about the city. Looking at the stranger, she felt the sensation of being hypnotized. From that moment on this parishioner was completely under the influence of the woman.