Allianz takes sting out of medical costs Meeting the HealthCare needs of a workforce amid spiraling costs can pose a crippling obligation for companies, particularly during this economic crisis. It can be a prescription for bankruptcy. They must keep their employees healthy and productive while ensuring that their bottom line is not run ragged in the process. Allianz HealthCare, a division of German-based insurance group Allianz, is solving the headache.

TV today TVRI 6:00 a.m. Morning News 7:00 Health and Fresh 8:00 Children's Program 9:30 Variety Show 10:00 Music 11:00 TV Drama 12:15 p.m. Comedy 12:30 Students' Quiz 1:00 Film: Empire 2:30 Children's Song 3:00 Sports 4:00 Regional News 4:30 Religious Teachings 5:00 Documentary 5:30 TV Drama 6:00 Sports 6:30 News (in English) 7:00 Evening News 7:30 Music 8:10 Dances 9:00 World News 9:30 Music and Mode 10:30 Sea Games Closing Ceremony 12:35 a.m. Late News Program 2 4:30 p.m.

Medal tally G S B Total Thailand 64 46 55 165 Malaysia 54 44 42 140 Indonesia 44 42 57 143 Singapore 21 25 43 89 Philippines 17 26 39 82 Vietnam 17 20 27 64 Brunei 4 12 30 46 Myanmar 3 10 10 23 Laos 1 0 3 4 Cambodia 0 0 0 0

Hilton LifeSpa pampers the mind and body Those who have not passed by the fitness center and spa at the Jakarta Hilton International for a while should brace themselves for a shock to their system. But a most pleasant one at that. Part of the Clark Hatch group, the center has changed with the times, adapting to a market which increasingly realizes the importance of both whittling down waistlines and buffeting beleaguered brain cells.

Controlled meditation can help some people lose weight By Rahayu Ratnaningsih JAKARTA (JP): Weight control is a pain in the neck and often costly for many adults. Numerous diet counselors found out that 97 percent of people who pay money to lose weight put it back on again in less than two years. In other words, diets work on the body but not the mind; and unless the subconscious is changed, willpower is only temporary.

Guess What? Retirement is probably the hardest word for a super-active woman like Edi Sedyawati, former director general for culture of the Ministry of Education and Culture. The 65-year-old grandmother left her office last month for unclear reasons, three months before her contract expired. "My tenure in office was previously set up until next November, but my boss wanted me to leave sooner," said Edi, who felt she could not fulfill many of her dreams.

Seeing the impossible in Escher's drawings By Tam Notosusanto JAKARTA (JP): Have you ever dreamed of entering an Escher drawing? If you have, then it would have been a bizarre experience. Imagine climbing the steps of a stairway that instead leads you downstairs. Or encountering a waterfall where the water that cascades down ends up on top again. That is the world of M.C. Escher's drawings, in which the rules of perspective are flaunted and the impossible occurs.

When simple words turn to cursing, watch out! JAKARTA (JP): "Muke Loe Jauh," literally meaning "Your face is far away", was written on a banner held aloft in a rally staged by relatives of victims of the Trisakti and Semanggi incidents (The Jakarta Post, Aug. 6, 1999). It was addressed to the government, which has been accused of not doing a thorough investigation into the violence as it had promised.

Thailand regains Games supremacy with 64 gold By Primastuti Handayani and Ivy Susanti BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN (JP): The badminton contingent allowed beleaguered Indonesia to hold its head high at the 20th Southeast Asian Games, which will close on Sunday. But three gold medals in badminton and one each from boxing, tennis and table tennis on Saturday were not even enough to upstage Malaysia for second place.

Padang: A gateway to the wonders of W. Sumatra By Dorothy Aksamit PADANG, West Sumatra (JP): I had been to Padang before but my memories were fuzzy. After an exhausting two night third-class voyage from Jakarta, I had spent another sleepless night in the hotel that hosted Padang's first disco, so by the time I boarded a morning bus to Bukittingi, I was comatose.

S'pore male swimmers shine BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN (AFP): Singapore's men swimmers, who have shown vast improvements in the current Southeast Asian (SEA) Games, may come out of the long shadow of record-breaking lass Joscelin Yeo. "I have spoken to some coaches from Thailand and Indonesia and according to them, our boys will be knocking on their doors pretty soon," said Singapore chief coach David Lim.

Australia arrests 140 illegal immigrants CANBERRA, Australia (AP): A boat of illegal immigrants caught by Australian authorities contained 140 Iraqis and two Indonesian crew members, officials said Saturday. After the boat was stopped on Friday night, it was escorted to Christmas Island, 1,400 kilometers off the coast of Western Australia in the Indian Ocean. The incident was the biggest single attempt by illegals to enter Australia.

Better treatment for city's homeless pets By Jules Bell JAKARTA (JP): If you were a dog or a cat, and your owners did not want you anymore, your future would be pretty bleak -- scratching around for a meal and living the life of a transient on the streets of Jakarta with nobody to love you. There is hope though, and it comes in the form of an animal shelter, where food comes as regularly as attention and affection.

Indonesia shows its might with badminton wins By Primastuti Handayani BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN (JP): Indonesia kept its badminton supremacy at the Southeast Asian Games intact by winning three individual titles here on Saturday. Victories from men's singles shuttler Taufik Hidayat, women's singles Cindana Hartono and the women's doubles team of Cynthia Tuwankotta and Etty Tantri contributed to Indonesia's collection of five gold medals out of a possible seven.

Enjoy a healthy lifestyle (and be a part of it) To find an athletic club or fitness center in a big city like Jakarta is as easy as ABC. There are many and they can vary in quality. Some clubs are open to the public, while others are limited to members only. The facilities also vary from club to club, from a small aerobic studio to the most prestigious fitness center equipped with world-class amenities. And the price? It is, of course, as varied as the grade and facilities provided.

No match for strong Thais boxers in SEA Games BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN (AP): It took a Philippine soldier and a Jakarta policeman to stop the mighty Thai boxers at the Southeast Asian Games Saturday. Otherwise the Thais dominated boxing as they have the rest of the games, winning eight golds in 11 bouts. Indonesian light heavyweight Albert Papilaya was slower on his feet than Thai opponent Somsak Janthaporn, but the referee stopped the bout in the third round after Albert bloodied Somsak's eye.

Expert calls for better cellular phone service By Christiani Tumelap JAKARTA (JP): Twelve years ago, Indonesia was one of the first among ASEAN nations to introduce a cellular telephone system. Despite the slow growth in the number of users compared to other countries in the region, Indonesia now has 1.6 million people enjoying this convenient form of wireless communication.

SEA Games results Tennis Men's singles: 1. Srichaphan Paradorn (Tha), 2. Juinio Bryan (Phi), 3. Suwandi (Ina), Udomchoke Danai (Tha) Mens's doubles: 1. Paradorn Srichaphan/Narathorn Srichaphan (Tha), 2. Danai Udomchoke/Vittaya Samrej (Tha), 3. Suwandi/Febi Widhiyanto (Ina), Fahmi Yusmawan/Hendri Susilo Pramono (Ina) Women's singles: 1. Maricris Fernandez (Phi), 2. Wynne Prakusya (Ina), 3. Khoo Chin Bee (Mas), Orawan Wongkamalasai (Tha) Women's doubles: 1.

Yves Saint Laurent woos Indonesia's rich By Agni Amorita JAKARTA (JP): Yves Saint Laurent is getting younger and younger. Not the couturier, of course, who is 62-years-old and rumored to be sick, or even dying, but his latest collection, which was brought to Jakarta for the first time in a three-day trunk show at Mulia Hotel, Central Jakarta, earlier this month.

The place of myth and legend in Indonesian history By Soe Tjen Marching MELBOURNE (JP): The idea of postmodernism has begun to become familiar in Indonesia. A number of books on postmodernism have been translated and published in Indonesia, and the names of Roland Barthes and Michel Foucault are starting to become quite familiar in this country. One of the main characteristics of postmodernism is the blurring of dichotomies, such as the difference between fact and fiction.

Diving adds colorful diversions to our sluggish lives By Sadie Mah JAKARTA (JP): It's three o'clock on a Monday afternoon. You're stuck in yet another unproductive meeting. As you watch your colleagues engage in a roundabout debate, you find yourself drifting off into a fantasy world where boardrooms and meetings do not exist. In their place is a vast expanse in which you float, giving you an incredible feeling of lightness and freedom.

Cellular phones the in-style accessory By Yudha Kartohadiprodjo JAKARTA (JP): "Beep! Beep!" A cellular phone near you starts to ring and after a long second of searching and stumbling someone stands up and leaves the meeting room. A meeting room? Not always. Cellular phones, popularly called hand phones here, are "cool but common thing" among Jakartans these days.

Habibie confers annual awards on 107 people JAKARTA (JP): President B.J. Habibie conferred meritorious service stars on 107 people, including two posthumous awards to wives of the country's founding fathers, on Saturday. Many public figures close to Habibie, including 28 Cabinet ministers, were among the honorees. Awarding of the medals is an annual tradition held at the State Palace in conjunction with Indonesia's independence anniversary.

Soeharto back in the hospital JAKARTA (JP): Further speculation about the health of former president Soeharto was fueled on Saturday after he was rushed to Pertamina Hospital in South Jakarta for the second time in less than a month. Hospital officials said Soeharto, 78, needed immediate medical treatment for intestinal bleeding. He was hospitalized for 10 days after a mild stroke in late July. Neurosurgeon Prof. Satyanegara was observed rushing in and out of Soeharto's room on the sixth floor.

Legislative Candidate By Ngatini Rasdi Panduto was happy. The recently concluded polls would make him one of the people's representatives in the legislative body. Thanks to the reform movement, his luck now shone brightly. In previous polls, he was also a candidate for the legislator. However, he could never become the representative of the people because his party had lost each of these elections. Kartinah, his wife, was also happy.

The wisdom of traditional workers Profesi Wong Cilik: Spiritualisme Pekerja Tradisional di Java (The Little Man's Profession: Spiritualism of Traditional Workers in Java); By Iman Budhi Santoso; Yayasan Untuk Indonesia, Yogyakarta, 1999; 274 pages. JAKARTA (JP): Have you ever imagined the work of a graveyard caretaker or a circumciser? How much do court servants, coconut tree climbers or turtledove baiters earn?

Jakarta's dive centers survive economic crisis JAKARTA (JP): Dive centers in Jakarta have survived the worst times in recent Indonesian history, and some have even discovered that the situation here can be an advantage for their business. When the rupiah started depreciating against the dollar in 1997, diving became a relatively cheap sport for many expatriates, compared to what they would have to pay in other countries.

Cell phones ring up profits in crisis By Yudha Kartohadiprodjo Many residents of major cities cling to their cellular phones as a necessity. The Jakarta Post looks at the business and the thriving black market for the sought-after products. JAKARTA (JP): Walking through the corridors of Roxy Mas Mall, West Jakarta, one could be forgiven for mistaking the outlet of a cellular phone vendor for a candy store.

Cellular phone users dial up controversy By Christiani Tumelap JAKARTA (JP): Controversy regarding the impact of cellular phone usage on human health and safety has flourished in correspondence with the surge in worldwide sales of the devices. Many research centers have conducted experiments to assess whether there is a correlation between cellular phone usage and poor health. No solid results, however, have yet been found.

Skin sense Thank you for including the interview with Dr. Retno I.S. Tranggono (Quest for fair complexion the dark side of cosmetics) in The Jakarta Post Sunday edition of Aug. 9, 1999. We would herewith like to provide a correction in the mistaken use of the word melatonin for melanin. Although the words sound somewhat similar, their meaning is totally different.

Thai players win soccer title, Indonesia gets bronze BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN (JP): Thailand showed its class in the soccer competition at the 20th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games with a 2-0 win over Vietnam in the final on Saturday. The victory earned the Thais their fourth gold medal in a row, confirming its status as the strongest soccer power in the region. There were hopes that Vietnam could repeat its win over the same opponent in the Tiger Cup final last year.

Australia a haven in independence war By Deddy Mulyana BANDUNG (JP): Few of us are aware that the fight for independence in 1945 also involved Indonesians in foreign countries. One of those countries was Australia. In 1942, the Dutch colonialist government transferred 300 Indonesian political prisoners from the notorious Boven Digul jail in Tanah Merah, Irian Jaya, to the New South Wales town of Cowra in Australia, following the Japanese invasion in Indonesia.

Spotlight Photo A: Egyptian Egypt Embassy EGYPT DAY: Egypt Ambassador Abdel Rahim Shalaby (left) chats with Minister of Cooperatives Adi Sasono (second right) and his wife (right) while counselor Talaat Lotfy (second left) watches on. They were celebrating Egypt's National Day, which fell on July 30, at the Jakarta Convention Center.