Singaporean jailed for kicking RI maid SINGAPORE: A 37-year-old Singaporean man has been jailed for three months for kicking his Indonesian maid in the buttocks after she forgot to shut a window when it rained, a report said Saturday. A few days after that incident, sales manager Loh Jin Thong again kicked 22-year-old Tri Sujati in the backside as she was bending over to pick up a towel, the Straits Times said.

The A to Z to quirky Jakarta Endy M. Bayuni, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Jakarta Inside Out; By Daniel Ziv; Equinox Publishing; Jakarta and Singapore, 2002; 184 pp One of the things about Jakarta that I still can't figure out is the logic of motorists driving through a traffic circle. The convention seems to be that motorists entering the circle take priority over those already in it. It's a sure recipe for chaos.

'There are always casualties in winning business ventures' Yanuar Nugroho Director, Business Watch Indonesia Researcher, Unisosdem Jakarta yanuar-n@unisosdem.org The head of The Indonesian Control Body for Stock Market (Bapepam) Herwidayatmo last month stated that the number of public investors in Indonesia now number only 55,000, down from 1995 when there were more than two million investors.

Comedian Basuki finds the humor in life Emmy Fitri, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta If we could choose our path in life, it is almost certain that we would be born wealthy, have a carefree adolescence, die peacefully and go to heaven, just like the local saying that goes lahir kaya raya, muda foya-foya dan mati masuk surga. However, not all of us have the privilege to have those grand choices, and neither did comedian Basuki, if he could wish that when he was still young.

Medan launches sweep on Acehnese MEDAN, North Sumatra: Alarmed by the possibility of infiltration by members of the separatist Free Aceh Movement (GAM), the North Sumatra provincial authorities have launched a sweep of Acehnese migrants living in the capital Medan, a report said on Saturday. An integrated security team, consisting of police officers, military soldiers, civilian guards and local officials in the seaport town of Belawan, began the sweep on Friday.

Sumatra haze blankets northern Malaysia Reuters, Kuala Lumpur Haze from forest fires in neighboring Indonesia blanketed the northern parts of peninsular Malaysia, reducing visibility to as low as three km (two miles), a newspaper and residents said on Saturday.

Indonesian films regain fame Joko E.H. Anwar, Contributor, Jakarta Anyone who has not been living under a rock for the past two years should realize the local film industry has begun to reemerge. While local audiences are grateful finally to be able to watch a movie in their native language that takes place in locations they are familiar with, it is the filmmakers who are really celebrating.

Touring the country's most complete phone center Sudibyo M. Wiradji, Contributor, Jakarta When it comes to cellular phone centers in Jakarta, many do not miss ITC Roxy Mas. Although handsets are easily available in malls or plazas throughout the city, ITC Roxy Mas has become their favorite. "Roxy Mas is the center for cellular phone's and therefore the prices offered here are cheaper compared to those set at other shops," said a guy who is about to buy one.

During his summit meeting with Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi in Pyongyang on Tuesday, North Korean leader Kim Jong-il acknowledged for the first time that Japanese citizens were indeed abducted to North Korea. His remarks are tantamount to acknowledging that Pyongyang sponsored these crimes, and prove that North Korea was indeed a terrorist state.

Kemarung By Kuswahyo SS Raharjo Kemarung was lost in thought. He had heard rumors, from his friends and from the media, that Rirendhet had been appointed an assistant to a minister. But they -- Rirendhet's friends -- were all utterly disappointed because Rirendhet, now reportedly influenced by Jakarta's urban culture, had become a very different person. You could never get in to see him unless you had a good reason. A prior appointment was needed.

Abrasion looms over Lampung eastern beach Oyos Saroso H.N. The Jakarta Post Sukadana, Lampung Timur Thousands of people's homes and hectares of fish ponds along the eastern shore of Lampung could be submerged in seawater within two years as a result of the massive clearing of mangrove forests by unauthorized fish farmers. Mangrove forests on the eastern coasts of Lampung and Tulangbawang have been widely destroyed by about 4,000 fish farmers who illegally cleared the forests for fish ponds.

Ringing in style, fun and innovation I. Christianto, Contributor, Jakarta Composing unique, attractive and catchy as well as odd and embarrassing ring tones on cellular phones has become a fun thing to do nowadays for people whose lives depend on the wireless communication gadget. There is a full list of choices, such as top-forty songs, national anthems, traditional folk songs, classical chants, remixed children jingles, which can be downloaded or installed on the mobile handsets.

Scratching out a living in oil fields Text and photos by Tarko Sudiarno The people are not wealthy, as many imagine they would be as oil workers and owners of oil wells. Despite living their lives almost continually smeared in oil, they still fight poverty on a daily basis. The Wonocolo villagers in the East Java town of Bojonegoro earn a paltry amount of money from the sweat they shed retrieving lantung (raw oil) from old oil wells in the area.

10 people killed, 17 injured in blast at Tegal firecracker factory Nana Rukmana, The Jakarta Post, Tegal, Central Java At least 10 people were killed and 17 others severely injured when a huge explosion destroyed a firecracker factory and damaged nearby buildings in the Central Java town of Tegal on Saturday, police said. Six people died instantly when the explosion ripped through the factory in Kalibakung village, Balapulang district.

Liza qualifies for Wismilak tourney Pariama Hutasoit, Contributor, Nusa Dua, Bali Liza Andriyani became the only Indonesian women's tennis player to move to the first round of the Women's Tennis Association (WTA)-sanctioned Wismilak tournament when she won a qualification match against South Korean Kim Jin-hee, 6-2, 1-6, 6-2 on Saturday. Three other Indonesians Diana Julianto, Wukirasih Sawondari and Sandy Gumulya failed to reach the first round.

S'pore Muslim leaders denounce violent road to Islamic state Agence France-Presse, Singapore Singapore Muslim leaders Saturday denounced the plans of suspected terrorists to create a Southeast Asian Islamic state by insurrection. "There is nothing wrong with having a political ambition. But the way to achieve it should be in a free, democratic way," said Abdul Rahman Sukir, secretary general of the Muhammadiyah Association.

Hotel hopes of excellence with ISO certification Linda Hoffman, Contributor, Yogyakarta What does ISO mean for travel business? For Darmawan P. Drajat, Hotel Santika Yogyakarta's marketing manager, it is international recognition. "When I was in Frankfurt recently, a travel agent I visited saw the ISO logo on our brochure and was very impressed," he said proudly.

Mixed marriages, a life full of mixed problems Tertiani ZB Simanjuntak, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Indonesian Harsi Watts is a widow. Her Australian husband died 16 days before she gave birth to their only daughter, who is now two-and-a-half-years old. With the lost of the family breadwinner, Ai, the name by which Harsi's late husband used to call her, faces endless problems concerning her mixed marriage and her "Australian" daughter. And these problems mean lots of money and humiliation.

On the shelves Kecantikan bukan modal utama saya (Beauty is not everything); By Angelina Sondakh; N'g.Intana, 2002; 185 pp Angelina Patricia Pingkan Sondakh is truly not a simple personality. She is not content with what she has. She wanted more out of the 2001 Putri Indonesia (Miss Indonesia) than just the gifts or the facilities, but the duties that are a part of winning the title.

10 perish in blast at Tegal fireworks factory Nana Rukmana The Jakarta Post Tegal, Central Java At least 10 people were killed and 17 others severely injured when a huge explosion destroyed a fireworks factory and damaged nearby buildings in the Central Java town of Tegal on Saturday, police said. Six people died instantly when the explosion ripped through the factory in Kalibakung village, Balapulang district. All 27 of the victims, believed to be factory workers, were taken to the Dr.

Bomb damages church in Poso INDONESIA: A bomb blast early on Saturday caused heavy damage to a church in the town of Ampana in the conflict-ridden Poso regency, Central Sulawesi. No one was hurt in the explosion at the Protestant church, and no one claimed responsibility for the incident. "There were no victims in the incident, but the front door, the ceiling and the windows of the house of worship were destroyed," local resident Hasan said. Ampana Police chief Second Insp.