Gus Dur questioned over Bulog scandal JAKARTA (JP): Unlike the grilling of other witnesses in the Rp 35 billion State Logistics Agency (Bulog) scam, police took a more polite approach in questioning President Abdurrahman Wahid, who has been named a witness in the crime. Taking place at the presidential palace on Friday night, the team of investigators from the Jakarta Police were escorted by several top-brass officers, including National Police chief Gen. Rusdihardjo, Jakarta Police chief Maj.

Workers strike worsens at KPC mining site JAKARTA (JP): At least 150 protesting workers have taken control of vital mining facilities at PT Kaltim Prima Coal's mine in Sanggata regency, East Kalimantan. The KPC representative in Jakarta, Bambang Susanto, said the workers arrived and took control of several important production facilities at the site after the police expelled their colleagues, who had occupied the company's main mining area.

East Java hard to track at top position at PON By Ivy Susanti SURABAYA (JP): Fifteenth National Games (PON) host East Java raced ahead with 69 golds, 46 silvers and 44 bronzes in the medal tally, leaving its rivals far behind. Defending champion Jakarta trailed in at second position with 42 golds, 39 silvers and 45 bronzes. There was a narrow margin between second and third, with West Java taking 34 golds, 33 silvers and 43 bronzes.

Some places to explore for holidays in Jakarta JAKARTA (JP): Dozens of kids sat on the floor of the children's section at a book store in Pondok Indah Mall in South Jakarta. They deeply enjoyed their reading, even though there was a sign telling them not to sit on the floor as they may block the aisles. In fact, a huge number of children packed the mall that late Monday afternoon. Monday is usually the least busy day during the week for shopping malls in Jakarta.

Bali dressing up for International Fashion Week JAKARTA (JP): Forget the economic crisis or violence that has hit some parts of Indonesia. Come to the paradise island of Bali and watch the latest international fashion trends at Bali International Fashion Week to be held from July 5 through July 8 at the Bali International Convention Center in Nusa Dua.

Me, a mysterious killer By Agus Noor The scorching tropical sun is really unfriendly today. Even under a shady tree, where I stand watching angry students vent their rage at a government policy, I feel the intolerable heat. The young people carrying posters bearing malicious slogans, wield their fists and shout thunderously against the authorities. "Now our people are united. Nobody can crush their power," they bark.

Arts Agenda Contemporary Theater Dance Performance Ura-Ura Ngudarasa by Studio Taksu Solo, at Auditorium CCF, Jl. Purnawarman 32, Bandung 40117, Phone: 022-4212417; Fax: 022-4207877; e-mail:ccfbdg@melsa.net.id. on June 26 and June 27 at 8 p.m. Ura Ura Ngudarasa is a contemporary dance theater which explores Javanese traditions and philosophy. Choreographed by Djarot Budi Darsono, the performance has shown in several cities in Indonesia and Germany.

Sigit wants to be world no. 1 again SURABAYA (JP): Being dethroned because of a mistake was the most bitter moment for former world number one men's doubles player Sigit Budiarto. A year's absence from the court has been enough for him to improve his attitude and sharpen his vision in badminton. "I want to be as successful as I used to be, but I know it will take time.

Savarese would like to fight distracted Tyson GLASGOW, Scotland (AP): Lou Savarese hopes Michael Tyson's mind is not completely on boxing. A distracted Tyson might be Savarese's best chance of springing an upset in Saturday night's 10-round outdoor bout at Hampden Park. The match will be aired live by Indosiar on Sunday at 04.00 a.m. and delayed viewing at 11.00 a.m. Jakarta Time.

Lip-sync contest for transvestites By I. Christianto JAKARTA (JP): What a stage! Whitney Houston, Diana Ross, Connie Francis, Celine Dion and some local dangdut singers, including Cici Paramida, shared a stage, performing their best. But halt! They were all fakes. It was a lipsync contest for transvestites. This is the second of such contests, dubbed Pentas Sejuta Bintang or Stage of Million of Stars.

Plengkung beach: Beautiful, challenging and inconvenient By Singgir Kartana BANYUWANGI, East Java (JP): If you are keen on surfing, come to Plengkung Beach, Banyuwangi, where you can find out whether you really are a surfer good enough to ride on the raging waves. It is also here, however, that you may savor the beautiful coastal panorama and the green virgin forest.

Jazz vocalist Al Jarreau delights his loyal fans By Stevie Emilia JAKARTA (JP): Jazz lovers satisfied their thirst for a good show without the need to envy the MTV generation which had the Westlife concert here last month. Last Tuesday night, they got the best treat they could: Al Jarreau himself. After his second show in Jakarta in 1995, Al Jarreau was back in town to entertain his most receptive and of loyal fans at the Jakarta Convention Center in Senayan, South Jakarta.

Researchers discover deadly virus in bat KUALA LUMPUR (AP): A deadly virus that killed about 100 people and ruined pig farms across Malaysia last year has been discovered in a fruit bat found in most parts of Southeast Asia, news reports said Saturday.

Holidays: Time to relax and work? School holiday is the most wonderful time for students as they do not have to attend classes or do homework. It's time to relax and refresh themselves, The Jakarta Post's contributor I. Christianto reports. JAKARTA (JP): For some students in Jakarta, school holidays mean a longer period to sleep or to hang around at shopping malls, where they can window shop and relax.

Prevent harm if we cannot prevent use By Chris W. Green JAKARTA (JP): "This is a drug-free area." So shout the banners displayed in many communities in Jakarta and around Indonesia. Paradoxically, banners like this are most prominent in the areas where everyone knows that it isn't true, in places where drug use has already become an epidemic.

'Kompas' collection provides hints of art history By Amir Sidharta JAKARTA (JP): In conjunction with the 35 anniversary of Kompas daily, an exhibition of the newspaper's art collection is being held at the Bentara Budaya Jakarta (BBJ), opposite the paper's offices on Jl. Palmerah Selatan, Central Jakarta. Ipong Purnamasidhi, the curator, said it is the first time, the collections are being shown comprehensively.

Pick of the Flicks Hollywood KC: Dinosaur 14:15 16:55 19:05 21:15 Mission Impossible 2 14:55 17:35 19:45 21:55 Candyman 3 14:15 16:55 19:05 21:15 Gen X Cops 14:55 17:35 19:45 21:55 Gunshy 14:15 16:55 19:05 21:15 Senayan: Petualangan Sherina 13:00 15:15 17:30 19:45 Dinosaur 13:45 16:00 18:15 20:30 Mission Impossible 2 13:00 15:25 17:50 20:05 Candyman 3 13:45 16:00 18:15 20:30 Halloween H20 13:00 15:15 17:30 19:45 Hide and Seek 13:45 16:00 18:15 20:30 Gunshy 13:00 15:15 17:30 19:45 Anggrek:...

Boating about splendid Banjarmasin Text and photos by Simon Marcus Gower BANJARMASIN, South Kalimantan (JP): Sixteen hours of travel in our jet-setting age would probably make us think of a flight from Jakarta to Western Europe but if you take a slow boat from Surabaya, East Java, 16 hours would be your journey time to Kalimantan (or Borneo, as it is more typically known in the West).

Little Tokyo is Coming to Jakarta (JP): Hotel Menara Peninsula is pleased to announce the opening of a new restaurant in order to further complete its facilities and services for guests. Supported by an overwhelming demand from guests, who have been increasing in number since the end of 1999, the management feels it is very important to add to the hotel's facilities. Therefore, the hotel is going to open a Japanese Restaurant called "Little Tokyo".

Guess What? Ratih Sanggarwati Retired supermodel Ratih Sanggarwati is upset over a newspaper report about her businesses. She said the report quoted her as saying that the turnover of a boutique she owns was unbelievable high while the that of a restaurant she also owns was Rp 45 million. "People will think that I know everything about business," she said in her restaurant in Mal Ambasador shopping center in South Jakarta. "And I was not interviewed (for the report).

Word-of-mouth facts now in print Lenggak Lenggok Jakarta (Exploring Jakarta); Published by Warta Kota daily newspaper, May 2000; 152 pages; Rp 30,000 JAKARTA (JP): People are now able to check a directory to discover the town's best soto gebrak or other things previously passed on only through word of mouth. Soto gebrak is a local soup made from a special process in which the cook bangs a bottle of ketchup down on the table.

Racism concerns unfair treatment I refer to C. Parry's letter On racism published in The Jakarta Post on June 23, 2000. I'd better write down my own experiences. At one International School, my child and some other children were discriminated against by her bule (white person) teacher because their mothers were Indonesian. The teacher admitted that she didn't like to see Indonesian women married to "whites". She obviously was in the wrong country.

Sutrisno equals world record in powerlifting JAKARTA (JP): Despite a wrist injury, Sutrisno of Lampung managed to break the world record in the bench press at the 15th National Games (PON) powerlifting event at the Marine Hall in Surabaya on Saturday. Sutrisno, competing in the men's 60 kilograms division, earned a gold medal after lifting a total of 675kg in the squat, bench press and dead lift.

Granddaughter-in-law of Soeharto nabbed for drug JAKARTA (JP): West Jakarta Police detectives recorded another remarkable success on Thursday with the arrest of a woman, who was later identified as a grand daughter-in-law of former president Soeharto. West Jakarta Police chief Col. Adjie Rustam Ramdja on Saturday identified the 25-year-old woman as Gusti Maya Firanti Noor, the wife of Soeharto's grandson Ari Sigit. He said that the woman, also known as Maya Ari Sigit, was arrested with around 2.

Brag, brag and brag your head off JAKARTA (JP): "I'm going to nail those economic criminals and drag them to court," an attorney general brags in front of the cheering press. "I promise you, he'll spend the rest of his life behind bars. This is a country of justice, for Pete's sake!" Political leaders are notorious for bragging, especially when campaigning for office.

Flowers bloom under tutelage of Dutch florist By Charlie Stevens JAKARTA (JP): Well, it's that time of year when Jakarta's marbled shopping malls and diamond-studded hotel foyers burst into florid displays as the Indonesian Flower Arrangement Show kicks in. One of the highlights of this year's show was a two-day workshop and a demonstration by one of the world's respected florists, Gary Loen, held on Thursday at Jakarta's Hotel Gran Mahakam and attended by over 100 Indonesian flower workers.

Stock trading can be a harsh, despairing experience By E. Effendi JAKARTA (JP): If you have big piles of excess money in your home, you'd probably want to do just like I do. I invest it in the stock market, so that I have my money working for me while I only have to sit in front of my TV all day, wearing only my underwear. Of course you do not have to do exactly like I do, because when I said I had a lot of excess money, I lied.

A day with a recovering drug addict Robin, not his real name, 17, was born in Sydney to an Australian father and Javanese mother before moving to Jakarta when he was 2. Since he was 12 years old, Robin's life has been ruled by the murky world of drugs, leading him down a path of near destruction. Currently a resident of the Yayasan Harapan Permata Hati Kita rehabilitation center in Bogor, West Java, he talks to The Jakarta Post's William Furney.

Exiled East Timorese youths long to go home By Linawati Sidarto LISBON (JP): "You can't imagine how happy we are to be speaking Indonesian again. It's been so long, and we miss it so much!" Nelson Miguel Soares Turquel de Jesus would probably not have uttered those words less than a year ago, but the referendum on Aug. 31, 1999 changed everything.

Support for Ambon martial law grows AMBON, Maluku (JP): Violence continued to torment the riot- stricken Maluku capital of Ambon on Saturday as support grew for the imposition of martial law in the province. The latest clashes in Talake and Galala subdistricts on Saturday left at least seven people dead and 20 injured, bringing the death toll in the conflict to 38. Citing a statement by Dr.