Visiting the palace of the gods in Taiwan Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Taipei For many of us, high-tech Taiwan is simply a world famous producer of manufactured goods. We know the label all too well, and some of us younger souls are now familiar with it as the land of Asian boy band F4, but our thoughts do not exactly turn to it as a place to visit and see the sights. Not that we would know what to look for anyway.

Sebastian Gunawan: Glitz and glamor for everyday divas Muara Bagdja, Contributor, Jakarta Sebastian Gunawan is no pretender to the title "king of style". It's an honor he has earned during a decade in fashion, defined by the sumptuous glamor of his creations which have won many followers and created a new genre of Indonesian fashion. It was thus wholly appropriate that his latest collection, marking the 10-year milestone in his career, was called "glitz and glam".

Modern bathroom design coming clean Maria Endah Hulupi, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Time was when the bathroom was considered an ultra-private area, rarely mentioned and built at the back of the house to be kept away from prying eyes. Dark and dank, it was not a room that got much attention except for the daily bathing needs of the family. Fortunately, changing attitudes have led to the bathroom's recognition as a part of the home that should be functional and thoughtfully designed.

Koizumi to raise Aceh and Myanmar issues The Jakarta Post, Nusa Dua, Bali In a surprising diplomatic move, a delegation of senior Japanese officials told their counterparts from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) on Saturday that Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi will raise the Aceh problem, along with other issues such as the nuclear crisis in the Korean peninsula, and Myanmar, when the prime minister meets with ASEAN heads of government along with Chinese Prime...

Southeast Asian authoritarianism: Saying enough is enough Johan Saravanamuttu Contributor Penang, Malaysia ------------------------------------------------------ Challenging Authoritarianism in Southeast Asia: Comparing Indonesia and Malaysia Edited by Ariel Heryanto and Sumit K. Mandal RoutledgeCurzon, London, 2003 247 pp -------------------------------------------------- Ariel Heryanto, Sumit Mandal and their co-writers are to be congratulated for the publication of this important book.

President Megawati Soekarnoputri is scheduled to preside over the anniversary celebration. National Police Chief Gen. Da'i Bachtiar, at a ceremony in Surabaya on Saturday, conferred "Byangkara Utama" medals of merit on the armed forces chiefs of staff of the Indonesian Army, Navy and Air Force in recognition of the cooperation the three have given to the police. The medals -- the highest decorations known in the National Police -- were awarded to the Army chief Gen.

Megawati to push for Myanmar reconciliation The Jakarta Post, Nusa Dua, Bali President Megawati Soekarnoputri plans to make a formal request to the Myanmar government to move forward with the reconciliation and democratization process of the country in the coming bilateral talks with Myanmar Prime Minister Gen. Khin Nyut. The bilateral talks are scheduled to be held on the sidelines of the ninth Association of Southeast Asia Nations (ASEAN) Summit here on Tuesday.

Gajah Tunggal to boost exports to Asia and Middle East Tire producer PT Gajah Tunggal Tbk (Gajah Tunggal) will further boost its exports to reduce the impact of a weakening domestic market due to the prolonged economic trouble at home. "The domestic tire market has dropped for various reasons, particularly because of Indonesia's economic problems, which has reduced greatly the movement of goods and people over land.

ADS Transforming a Microfinance System : The BRI Experience "The Bank Rakyat Indonesia (BRI) Unit system, which is fully self-financing and computerized, has become one of the world's greatest success stories in microfinance." The above statement, written in a report by the Harvard Institute for International Development (HIID), accurately describes the achievements of Indonesia's oldest bank: BRI. Such achievements were unimaginable when the bank was established more than a century ago, on Dec.

Ambon's sweet road to conflict recovery Edi Suhardi Partnership for Governance Reform in Indonesia Jakarta When the horrifying sectarian conflict broke out in 1999, no one believed it could happen in the capital of Maluku province long known as Ambon manis, or Sweet Ambon. Ambon was at the center of the communal conflict that affected almost the entire province until 2002.

Dance troupe forms multicultural meeting point Helly Minarti, Contributor, Jakarta Some choreographers of contemporary dance -- including those who have made it big -- fuse centuries-old traditions into their modern technique, creating a new, distinct style of their own.

Govt asked to ease its control over VoIP services Sudibyo M. Wiradji, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) is a promising alternative call service but it will take sometime before it gains wide acceptance in Indonesia.

Price war between Telkom and Indosat gets fiercer Rudijanto, Contributor, Jakarta The launching of new international call service by state- controlled PT Telkom Tbk (Telkom) in August of this year signals the some real competition between two telecommunication giants, Telkom and PT Indosat Tbk (Indosat). While the fight can be as tough as the one fought in the ring between Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield, the competition itself should be more than mere entertainment for customers.

JP/17/ Bedugul offers scientific and natural delights I Wayan Juniartha The Jakarta Post Denpasar, Bali With its cool air, beautiful scenery and quiet atmosphere, Bedugul in Tabanan regency is a comfortable haven for those who have grown bored with Kuta's cramped environs and frustrated with Denpasar's traffic jams. Lying some two hours by car from Denpasar and about two-and-a- half hours from Nusa Dua, Bedugul sits next to the misty Lake Beratan.

The plain truth: Women find morning sickness a real pain Is morning sickness real or only in the mind? A number of women share their experiences below. Sheila Quarles van Ufford-Thomson, an international development consultant who lives in Jakarta, is 27 weeks pregnant with her third child. In her first pregnancy, she experienced mild nausea for about a week when she was about two months pregnant. "I only felt sick in the evening though, not in the morning, which is normal.

Mella's artwork lifts cover on prejudice and ignorance Carla Bianpoen, Contributor, Jakarta Mella Jaarsma's tent positioned amid the National Gallery's exhibition space here might have evoked some surprised reactions among the thousands of visitors to the month-long CP Open Biennale. More important is that they got to feel, albeit briefly, what it is like to be a refugee by stepping into the structure made of canvas, in the shape of a cloak and with a head and face cover attached.

Unease grips South Sulawesi district after shooting Andi Hajramurni, The Jakarta Post, Makassar, South Sulawesi The South Sulawesi district of Kajang in Bulukumba regency was tense on Saturday, a day after police shot a resident who was part of protests over disputed land. Aso bin Susa was shot in the leg by officers from the Mobile Brigade conducting a search for about 200 local residents who had tried to reclaim disputed land from rubber plantation company PT London Sumatra (Lonsum) on Friday.

Dozens hurt in Bogor train collision Theresia Sufa and Bambang Nurbianto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Dozens of people were injured on Saturday when a passenger train slammed into the rear of another train about one kilometer from the Bogor railway station. The crash occurred at 12:40 p.m. when a commuter train traveling from Jakarta to Bogor smashed into another train that had stopped on the tracks in Kebon Pedes subdistrict, Tanah Sereal district, Bogor municipality.

Firman sizes up the culture gap in photos David Kennedy, Contributor, Jakarta, d_kenn@yahoo.com When Firman Ichsan laughs and says that photography is about manipulation, you can be pretty sure that he is not joking. Although the 50-year-old photographer, who heads Jakarta Arts Institute's photography department, appears light-hearted and jovial he takes his work seriously, aware of the power of pictures to capture the imagination and tell a story.

Mega rethinks Oct. 12 no-show The Jakarta Post, Nusa Dua, Bali President Megawati Soekarnoputri, who earlier said she would not attend the memorial service for the first anniversary of the Oct. 12 Bali bombing tragedy, may be about to change her mind. She reportedly is seeking advice from Hindu leaders about the religious and cultural aspects of attending such a commemoration, a source close to the President said on Saturday.

Eight soldiers missing in Aceh after chopper stunt goes awry Nani Farida and Tiarma Siboro, The Jakarta Post, Banda Aceh/Surabaya Eight Army Special Forces (Kopassus) soldiers were confirmed missing in the waters off Lhokseumawe on Saturday during a rehearsal for the 58th Indonesian Military (TNI) anniversary celebration in Aceh.

VoIP providers cut rates to lure new customers Agustina Wayansari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Long-distance callers can now save more money thanks to the Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology offered by five operators in Indonesia. The VoIP technology offers a cheaper alternative because, with this technology, people can save at least 40 percent on local calls and more than 60 percent on international calls. Some operators even offer discounts of up to 83 percent at certain times.

;JP; ANPAc..r.. TV-programs TV today JP/19/TV.TB.30" .90" TV Program: Sunday, October 5, 2003 .TB.30" .90" TVRI 6:00 a.m. News: Berita Pagi 7:00 Children's Program: Panggung Boneka 7:30 Zooming 9:00 Children's Program: Bando 11:00 Variety Show: Maskum Show 12:00 p.m.

Young writer Nia spins a fine romance for our times Hera Diani, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta "When you're 18 years old, no matter how mature you are, you still know nothing about life," was singer Anggun's reflection about marrying her first husband at that tender age and their subsequent divorce. Living proof of that statement is writer Rachmania "Nia" Arunita, 18, who knows little beyond her private domain of school and home, with overprotective parents who keep tabs on her comings and goings.

Bathroom design comes clean with the times Maria Endah Hulupi The Jakarta Post Jakarta Time was when the bathroom was considered an ultra-private area, rarely mentioned and built at the back of the house to be kept away from prying eyes. Dark and dank, it was not a room that got much attention except for the daily bathing needs of the family. Fortunately, changing attitudes have led to the bathroom's recognition as a part of the home that should be functional and thoughtfully designed.

ASEAN to sign FTAs with Japan, India The Jakarta Post, Nusa Dua, Bali The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) will sign agreements with Japan and India on the establishment of Free Trade Areas (FTAs) during a two-day summit in Bali on Tuesday, an Indonesian senior trade official said. "We expect that by 2012, an FTA between ASEAN and Japan will have already been established," the director general of international trade cooperation at the Ministry of Industry and Trade, Pos M.

Indonesian pair goes into doubles final Zakki Hakim, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Indonesian pair Septi Mende and Maya Rosa advanced on Saturday to the final of the US$10,000 Indonesia Women's Circuit tennis tournament after outrunning top-seeded pair Sania Mirza/Rushmi Chakravarthi of India. They beat the Indians 6-2, 6-3. The latter have a ranking of 667.

Authoritarianism : Southeast Asian dares to say enough is enough Johan Saravanamuttu, Contributor, Penang, Malaysia Challenging Authoritarianism in Southeast Asia: Comparing Indonesia and Malaysia Edited by Ariel Heryanto and Sumit K. Mandal RoutledgeCurzon, London, 2003 247 pp Ariel Heryanto, Sumit Mandal and their co-writers are to be congratulated for the publication of this important book.