Bonit/Sulistyo to meet S. African pair in final JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia's veterans Bonit Wiryawan and Sulistyo Wibowo saved face for the country in the Men's Indonesian Fertilizer Future 3 at Kemayoran Tennis Center after they reached the men's doubles final. Bonit and Sulityo, former members of the Davis Cup and Asian Games teams, defeated second seed Timur Ganiev and Vadim Kutsenko of Uzbekistan 7-6 (7-5), 4-6, 6-4 in the US$15,000 tournament on Saturday.

Pornography elicits mixed reactions JAKARTA (JP): Take a look at any newsstand on the street and you'll see magazines and tabloids with hot pictures of seductive women on them. The exposure of such pictures, along with sex stories, is not new indeed. Recently, however, following the government's decision to relax the publishing license regulation, there has been a mushrooming of new media, including those focusing on sex.

German tourist found dead JAKARTA (JP): A 51-year-old German tourist committed suicide by hanging herself in her hotel room in Karangasem regency, Bali, on Wednesday, Antara reported on Saturday. Sonya Balbach, a German reporter, was believed to have planned her death, as she has left enough money to cover all expenses from her cremation to returning her ashes to Germany, Gus Sumastra, the head of the Antarbangsa agency providing services for foreigners, said.

KONI gathers info on SEA Games from sports reporters JAKARTA (JP): National Sports Council (KONI) officials met with sports journalists on Saturday to gather input on the training preparation for the 20th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Brunei Darussalam next month. The discussion was chaired by KONI's official in charge of athletes development, Mochammad Hindarto, and SEA Games training director Imron ZS.

Jakarta poll body declares 'final' election result JAKARTA (JP): The Jakarta Regional Elections Committee announced its results of the June 7 election on Saturday, giving the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) the victory with nearly 40 percent of 4.6 million valid votes. The Muslim-based United Development Party (PPP) came second with 17 percent, the National Mandate Party (PAN) third with just under 17 percent and the Golkar Party a distant fourth with 10 percent.

A courageous journey into the Komodo dragon's den By Steve Rhodes KOMODO ISLAND, East Nusa Tenggara (JP): I was sitting in the dining room of Chez Felix, a pleasant little hotel in the pleasant little town of Labuhanbajo, on the island of Flores, East Nusa Tenggara, waiting for Capt. Abdul Achamad to pick me up and transport me to Komodo and Rincha islands. These are the only two islands in the world which are the home of Varanus komodoensis, otherwise known as the Komodo dragon. Capt.

Women poets fight for sexual emancipation By Cecep Syamsul Hari BANDUNG (JP): Ideas about matrimony and gender relations are major themes in the poems of contemporary Indonesian women poets. Dorothea Rosa Herliay, Oka Rusmini, and Nenden Lilis A. are three prominent young poets who have explored these themes. Matrimony is a dreadful destiny in a collection of poems by Herliany (b.1967), called Nikah Ilalang, The Wedding Grass (1995).

GKJ Awards puts dancers on their toes to excel By Helly Minarti JAKARTA (JP): There are certain conditions ideally required for arts to flourish. In the case of modern dance, this includes good schools where young artists can hone their skills and knowledge, good companies or groups where they can engage in the creative process, and opportunities, such as regular festivals and competitions, to showcase their works.

Monopoly in the Garden of Eden By Andreas Baenziger TERNATE, Maluku: The tree is so famous that the inhabitants of Ternate gave it a special name: Afo, which translates as "the giant." It is a gigantic example of the otherwise slim and unremarkable clove tree. The Giant has a huge twisted and knotted trunk, and sturdy overhanging branches.

It's only Rp 300,000 net for the whole family Sheraton Mustika Yogyakarta Resort and Spa is offering a Family Holiday Package for Rp 300,000 -- valid for Indonesians and KIMS holders for reservations through Aug. 31, 1999.

Strong waves killed six JAKARTA (JP): Strong waves on Bali's beaches killed six people between January and June of this year. I Gede Barata of the Wisata Tirta Lifeguard Agency told Antara on Saturday the January to June period saw 28 accidents on a number of the island's beaches, including beaches at Dua, Tanah Lot, Canggu and Kuta. Twenty-two people were rescued, while six others perished.

Habibie ready 'to share power' with Megawati JAKARTA (JP): A senior aide to President B.J. Habibie said on Saturday that his boss was ready to share power with the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri. Jimly Assidiqie, Habibie's close friend and advisor, confirmed the President was ready to form a kind of coalition government with Megawati, whose party is leading in provisional poll results.

Guess What? Ballad singer Franky Sahilatua is no ordinary musician. The Ambonese singer, who often takes real situations of poor people as his song themes, says he cares about his source of inspiration. Under the blazing sun, he performed for around 200 urban poor holding a peace protest against the misuse of social safety net funds at the Proclamation Monument in Central Jakarta.

Spotlight Photo A: Poll GENERAL ELECTION IMPLICATIONS: The United States-Indonesia Society (USINDO) organized a one day workshop on the implications of Indonesia's recent general elections at the Cosmos Club in Washington, D.C., on June 22. The panel were (from left) James Castle of the Jakarta-based James Castle group, Prof.

Andi A. Mallarangeng is not afraid to speak his mind By Yudha Kartohadiprodjo JAKARTA (JP): As a young activist, Andi Alfian Mallarangeng dreams of democracy. The dream led him to a scholarship from the World Bank and study comparative politics at the University of Northern Illinois in the United States. He never dreamed, however, that one day he would help draft a political law that would become the base of Indonesian democracy. At least, not this soon.

White-water rafting can be a spiritual journey By Joko Sarwono BOGOR, West Java (JP): For the nonadventurous and faint of heart like me, white-water rafting would hardly seem to be an ideal way to spend the weekend. The long stream, the strong current and the crashing rapids frighten me to death. The thought of smashing into the stony walls of the riverbank, or of drowning should have been enough to completely dispel any notion of tackling the rapids.

Red brickmakers barely survive on their income By Agus Maryono PURBALINGGA, Central Java (JP): Patience pays off. That is the philosophy of 60-year-old Martaja, who ekes out a living by making bricks. "It is not difficult to make red bricks, only patience is required because of the lengthy process," he said. Three weeks are needed from the molding until the firing stage.

British Council helps in choosing a UK university Despite the economic crisis' impact on the number of Indonesians studying abroad, many still recognize the gains from earning a degree at a foreign university. This is where the British Council, the United Kingdom's international network for education, culture and development services, can be of invaluable help in choosing a UK university. Novina Almadja is studying at the University of Southampton, majoring in Computer Science.

Old Balinese painter says he's ready to die By Putu Wirata UBUD, Bali (JP): "I'm ready to die and surrender to my fate, just like Sutasoma," said Gusti Ketut Kobot, an old painter in Pengosekan village in Ubud, Bali, as he talked about art, life and death. Sutasoma is the character in a legend about a kindhearted prince, who was willing to sacrifice his body to be devoured by Bhatara Kala, the god of death.

Guess What? Wanting to be pretty is natural for many women, but according to writer Ayu Utami, worshiping beauty causes injustices. Speaking at a discussion on Contemporary Women in Literature and Media in Bandung, the author of Saman said: "Although beauty is part of nature, the worshiping of a woman's body should not be exploited." Ayu, 31, is concerned and even a little frightened because placing such values on women could introduce the myth that beauty is behind a woman's success.

It all started as a hobby BOGOR, West Java (JP): Can you turn an adventurous hobby into a money spinner? That was certainly the idea behind Jeram 2000, an organization which offers whitewater rafting in the Cianten River in Bogor. The people behind this group had been indulging in the hobby for three years before deciding that the sport should be popularized, and money made in the process.

Bangladeshi art makes it to Sotheby's DHAKA (AFP): Two leading Bangladeshi artists' works are set to go under the hammer at Sotheby's for the first time, a newspaper has reported. Three works by national artist Zainul Abedin, famed for his work on the subcontinent's famine in the 1940s, and Mohammad Kibria, regarded as the initiator of abstract art in Bangladesh, were to be auctioned in London, the Daily Star reported in June.

Govt will not build new venues in bid for Asiad JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia will not build any new sports venues to support its bid to host the 2006 Asian Games, chairman of the Gelora Senayan Management Board (BPGS), Muladi, has said. Muladi, also Minister of Justice/State Secretary, said that instead of constructing new venues, which would cost a lot of money, the government preferred to renovate its 100 hectares of sports complexes to host the quadrennial event.

Pornography debate heats up A raging debate on flourishing erotic media has added fuel to public resentment over mounting unresolved national problems. Some government officials and youth groups are crusading to reverse the media "revolution". The Jakarta Post's journalists Pandaya, T. Sima Gunawan, and Stevie Emilia and contributors Tjahjono Ep and Ahmad Solikhan examine the saucy issue.

KL to deport Indonesians KUALA LUMPUR (DPA): A fight over a football debt among Indonesians living in Malaysia is likely to result in deportation for 180 undocumented workers, police said Saturday. Police arrested the Indonesian workers after they clashed repeatedly Thursday night in the town of Kuala Kubu Baru, 50 kilometers north of the capital.