Residents keep their heads above water Emmy Fitri, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta When heavy rain pounded the city earlier this week, many Jakarta residents groaned about the long traffic jams and the wait for taxis. For some families, however, it's a daily struggle to keep their heads above water. Flooding is nothing unusual for low-income families living alongside Jakarta's main river, the Ciliwung, in Jatinegara and in Kampung Melayu.

Getting into the groove of game centers Susanna Tjokro, Contributor, Jakarta Beware! Counterstrikers hit Jakarta! No, we're not talking about Lara Croft or a gang of armed men wearing head coverings. They are only virtual figures that will disappear as soon as you disconnect the computer. Like it or not, the game center has become a phenomenal success in Jakarta, as it has in other countries.

Where to go in Jakarta: Sunday, January 20, 2002 Exhibitions * Painting by children from 161 countries, the National Gallery of Indonesia, Jl. Medan Merdeka Timur 14, Gambir, Central Jakarta (Tel. 34833954) until Jan. 26. * Stone Lithographs and Paintings by Ken Pattern, Koi Galeri/Restoran Jl Mahakam I/2 (Tel: 722 2864), 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. until Jan. 31. * Painting Menjemput Impian by Damay, Yaqub Elka, Zeita Gallery, Jl. Kemang Timur no. 71, South Jakarta, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., until Jan. 26.

Alwi Shihab a strong candidate for PKB chief Asip A. Hasani and Blontank Poer, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Acting chairman of the National Awakening Party (PKB) Alwi Shihab is likely to get elected to the party's top post after the chief of the party's board of patrons, Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid, asked Saifullah Yusuf, Alwi's only serious rival, to withdraw his candidacy.

City undecided about bus fare hike plan Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The Jakarta administration was still undecided on Saturday over an increase in public transportation fares following the recent fuel price hike. "As of today, transportation companies which are represented by the Jakarta Land Transportation Agency (Organda), have yet to propose a fare hike," said Rustam Effendy, head of the city's transportation department.

Muslim cops leave Misuari stronghold THE PHILIPPINES: Three hundred Muslim rebels-turned-policemen finally obeyed a government order and left the island stronghold of their detained leader Nur Misuari after a series of bloody battles with the military, officials said in Zamboanga Saturday. Regional police commander Acmad Omar said the 300 took a chartered ferry to the province of Maguindanao where they will stay in a police training camp while the violence on Jolo island is investigated.

Low lights, loud music? Choice is yours to make Susanna Tjokro, Contributor, Jakarta Game centers (a.k.a LAN shops) are now the "in" place to be in Jakarta, from modest game centers to fancy ones replete with amenities. Every gamer has their own preferences in choosing a LAN (Local Area Network) shop. Each game center offers Counter Strike, the most popular game of all. However, every LAN shop tries to set itself apart from the rest.

A baker's dozen of all those breads Maria Kegel, Contributor, Jakarta Foccacia. Pannini. Ciabatta. Knowing what bread to serve with your meal can get downright complicated when faced with the baker's dozen, and then some, of varieties on the market. You can simplify your choice by sticking to the guidelines offered by William Wongso, owner and operator of Vineth bakery and several popular restaurants around town, and Nanang Pratna, the pastry chef and head baker from the Jakarta Hilton.

Indonesians last choice of Malaysia's foreign labor list Agence France-Presse, Kuala Lumpur Malaysia is to tighten requirements for hiring foreign labour and will place Indonesian workers last on the list of desirable entrants after a violent riot, reports said Saturday. Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad was quoted by the New Straits Times as saying that the government would give priority to workers from countries other than Indonesia. "They (Indonesians) are giving us a lot of trouble.

Living with the fear of floods Devastating floods have occurred in different parts of the country and in some parts of the capital in recent weeks. This year alone, flash floods in North Sumatra swept away houses and damaged public facilities. Reports said the floods claimed dozens of lives and left thousands homeless. Living in flood-prone Pluit, North Jakarta, has enabled me to view the news from a very personal perspective, because my family and I experience the problem almost every year.

;JP;Sudibyo Wiradji; ANPAc..r.. Focusissue-Spore-housing Sudibyo M. Wiradji Contributor Jakarta CHECKED ON 18 JAN - TIM Living in Singapore -- why not? Want to rent a dream house in Singapore for education or business purposes? Or perhaps you want to invest your funds in a residential apartment or a condominium there? Fine. But whatever reasons you have, you first need to be familiar with the country's housing policy for foreign citizens.

TV Program: Sunday, Jan. 20, 2002 TVRI 5:00 a.m. Religious Teachings 6:00 News 8:00 Cartoon 8:30 Children's Program 9:00 Religious Teachings 9:30 Music 11:00 News 11:30 Documentary 12:00 p.m. Traditional Comedy 1:30 Regional Program 2:00 News 4:30 Children's Program 5:00 Documentary 6:00 News 7:00 TV Series: In The House 7:30 Songs and Dances 9:00 News 9:30 Music 10:30 Sports TPI 5:30 a.m.

'Accidents' do happen: Teen pregnancy Rani Lukita, Contributor, Jakarta The topic of teenage pregnancy is being carried into local living rooms by the TV drama series Pernikahan Dini, which some consider yet more proof that local teenagers are succumbing to western "values" in experimenting with sex. Of course, it's an age-old problem; the hit Saturday night prime-time TV series was inspired by a 1980s' movie of the same title, which was an updated adaptation from a popular novel by Mira W.

'My partents' love makes life worth living' Emmy Fitri, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Among the scores of young emcees competing for airtime -- or, in some cases, clogging the airwaves -- Junico B.P. Siahaan, popularly known as Nico Siahaan, is one of the most prominent. Known for his keen sense of being able to turn off the humor quotient when he needs to show his serious side, Nico, now 31, started his professional career as a radio broadcaster.

;JP;Sudibyo Wiradji; ANPAc..r.. Focusissue-Spore-housing Sudibyo M. Wiradji Contributor Jakarta CHECKED ON 18 JAN - TIM Living in Singapore -- why not? Want to rent a dream house in Singapore for education or business purposes? Or perhaps you want to invest your funds in a residential apartment or a condominium there? Fine. But whatever reasons you have, you first need to be familiar with the country's housing policy for foreign citizens.

Serving a slice right When it comes to the etiquette of dining, and what goes where and with what, culinary expert William Wongso is an authority. And that includes on how best to serve bread as part of a meal. Here are some tips from William and Nanang Pratna, the pastry chef and head baker at Jakarta Hilton, on making sure bread tastes its best.

Melatonin: A wonder drug for sleeping beauty? Maria Endah Hulupi, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta For "Bambang", having a good night's sleep after a stressful day at the office was a luxury. That was until he heard about melatonin from a colleague and also read an article in a leading magazine. He now keeps a bottle of melatonin pills on his bedside table. "I take one pill shortly before I go to bed, almost every night.

Bread-winners: Finding the best complement for your meal ------------------- Maria Kegel Contributor Jakarta --------------- Foccacia. Pannini. Ciabatta. Knowing what bread to serve with your meal can get downright complicated when faced with the baker's dozen, and then some, of varieties on the market.

Artist Astari finds the meaning of self Mehru Jaffer, Contributor, Jakarta Astari Rasjid's definition of bliss is to bask in the quiet surroundings of her South Jakarta studio. Here she can straighten her back or slouch, open her arms or stand at ease, smile or even frown at will. Far away from the beck and call of one and all, one of the country's leading painters feels that in the privacy of this room of her own she is able to peel off all the masks plastered on people by society.

Want to rent state housing or condominiums? It's up to you Sudibyo M. Wiradji, Contributor, Jakarta Want to rent a dream house in Singapore for education or business purposes? Or perhaps you want to invest your funds in a residential apartment or a condominium there? Fine. But whatever reasons you have, you first need to be familiar with the country's housing policy for foreign citizens. In general, Singapore property is divided into two categories.

Care needed in telling kids about death Maria Endah Hulupi, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta When her pet dog died of old age, eight-year-old Sinta was plunged into deep sadness. On the day she was told that Kopi died, she cried endlessly. Her parents tried to comfort her and she eventually stopped crying. But three days later, her mother, Paulina, spotted her sobbing alone in her room, holding a picture of the dog.

More and more Indonesians buy Singapore apartments I. Christianto, Contributor, Jakarta Singapore is not only a favorite place for shopping, but it has also become a favorite place to live either for business or for study purposes. Many Indonesians have even regarded the island nation as their second home country. The country's proximity, which is less than a two-hour flight from Jakarta, is the main factor which lures many Indonesians to stay or study there.

Journalist Rudy Badil, Warkop's 'mystery man' Amir Sidharta, Contributor, Jakarta At the funeral of Dono, a member of the famed WarKop (Warung Kopi) comedy group who died of cancer at the end of December, the group's spokesman, Indro, reminded the public that WarKop consisted of Nanu, Kasino, Dono, Indro and Rudy Badil. The first three members of the group have died. Now, Indro, who we know has always been the leader of the group, and Rudy Badil are the only survivors. But who is Rudy Badil?

'Seventeen' magazine puts youth matters in focus Rani Lukita, Contributor, Jakarta Are you an intelligent young woman nearing the end of your high school years, or just starting college life? Do you need advice for those pesky problems encountered by young people? Do you find your inquisitive nature often hindered by subjects considered taboo? If you answered, "Yes!" to any or all of the above, then Indonesian Seventeen magazine says it is for you!

Marine still search for crashed plane's cockpit voice recorder Tarko Sudiarno, The Jakarta Post, Klaten, Central Java A team of divers from the Marine Corps began removing on Saturday parts of the Garuda Boeing-737 airplane, which crash-landed in bad weather in Klaten, Central Java, on Wednesday, but they have yet to recover the cockpit voice recorder (CVR).

RI police probes case of Manila terror suspect Agencies, Jakarta/Manila Indonesian police said on Saturday they were investigating the case of a man arrested in Manila believed to be a key member of Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda network. Philippine police had said the man was Indonesian, but national police spokesman Saleh Saaf told Reuters the 30-year-old was a Canadian citizen, who may have lived in Indonesia in the past.