JP/7/LET74.ARP Toll road gate shifts to relieve jams From Kompas The Jakarta toll road extending from Cawang to Semanggi is always congested in the morning due to obstructions caused by tailbacks of cars attempting to exit near the Kuningan and Semanggi bridges. Based on my observations, the congestion could be reduced by shifting the exits to places other than the Pancoran, Kuningan and Semanggi bridges. This is because Jalan Gatot Subroto can accommodate a lot more traffic.

Indonesia as corruption champion? From Media Indonesia Several cases of fraud involving national banks have emerged amid the effort to restore the national economy and the process of leadership selection of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK). In dealing with the bank theft, the Attorney General's Office should order a special examination by independent auditors, which would earn this institution credit points and finally deal with its negative image.

Former customs and excise official nabbed in graft scam Abdul Khalik, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The National Police has detained former Merak Customs and Excise officer Marwan since Thursday for his alleged involvement in an Rp 153 billion (US$18 million) tax and import duty evasion scam. "He has been declared a suspect in the scandal," Brig. Gen. Soenarko Ardan, National Police deputy chief of public relations, said on Saturday.

Indonesia as corruption champion? From Media Indonesia Several cases of fraud involving national banks have emerged amid the effort to restore the national economy and the process of leadership selection of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK). In dealing with the bank theft, the Attorney General's Office should order a special examination by independent auditors, which would earn this institution credit points and finally deal with its negative image.

Singaporeans report Batam robbery SINGAPORE: A group of Singapore men who went to the island of Batam for casino gambling were robbed within minutes of arriving, it was reported on Saturday. The bandits who took S$20,000 (US$11,764) were said to be five members of the casino's security staff, The Straits Times said.

Water charges I read in The Jakarta Post that as of Jan. 4 tap water charges will increase by another 30 percent. This greatly disturbs me. Why are we, PAM water users, burdened with such a raise, while almost 50 percent of the tap water is used by people not paying for it. Why am I forced to subsidize the sloppiness of the government c/o PAM, which cannot get its act together by controlling the use of tap water and making people pay for it?

Street carnival adds sparkle to New Year's Eve Chisato Hara, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta New Year's Eve celebrations in the capital can generally be put into two categories: one, the formal sit-down dinner at a five- star hotel with a billed entertainer, usually of international renown; and two, the outdoor entertainment gala with dangdut singers, dancers, food stalls and traditional fireworks show.

Four wheels good, two wheels bad: Shanghai moves to reduce bike traffic in favor of cars Shanghai moves to reduce bike traffic in favor of cars Christopher Boden Associated Press Shanghai, China Bicycles were kings of the road in Shanghai for decades, transporting young and old, lofty and lowly, through the city's streets and markets. Times have changed, though, and the automobile now rules supreme. As for bikes, well, they just get in the way, according to local police.

Where to go in Jakarta: Sunday, January 4, 2003 Exhibitions * Photo: Italy: The One and Only - a Century of Phtography 1900/2000, National Museum, Jl. Medan Merdeka Barat No. 12, Central Jakarta (Tel. 3812346, 3868172), Tuesday to Sunday, 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., until Jan. 6. * Painting: Dari Abas sampai Dumas, Galeri Milenium, D'Best Shopping Center, Blok B-23, Jl. R.S. Fatmawati No. 15, South Jakarta (Tel. 7507828), until Jan. 31.

Stuttgart to play quake benefit match STUTTGART, Germany: German first division side VfB Stuttgart will play Istiklal Teheran in a benefit match this month for the victims of the earthquake in the Iranian city of Bam. The match, which will take place in the southern German town of Reutlingen on Jan. 24, was announced by DaimlerChrysler, the carmaker which has set up an appeal for the estimated 30,000 victims of the quake on Dec. 26.

The sun sets high in Yogya Chairil Gibran Ramadhan I arrived at 6:15 a.m., weighed down by my backpack. I wiped the sweat from my forehead, with my mother's words of worry still ringing in my ears: "A girl shouldn't travel alone. And what will you get up to anyway?" I did not answer because I was leaving for no purpose and nobody. I was simply sick of staying in my room, my city, staring at the numbers on my computer screen, trudging through life.

JP/7/LET75.ARS Waste in busway project From Warta Kota One instance of waste in the Jakarta busway project is the tearing down of the railings in front of the Harco building in downtown Glodok. Used to date for motorcycle parking, the lane within the steel barriers is to be used by the busway. The railings certainly cost a lot of money to construct. As they are now being pulled down, this money has been wasted.

What do teenage expatriates think about Indonesia? Many expatriates bring their teenage children to Indonesia, with some ending up falling in love with the country and spending years here. Living in Indonesia is usually an equally wonderful experience for the kids. So, what is it that expatriate teenagers like or don't like about living in "exotic" Indonesia? What do they think of the country's rich cultural diversity and its unique landscape?

JP/7/LET70.ARS Proposal for improved haj From Media Indonesia With the recent failure to send about 30,000 would-be haj pilgrims, as a moral obligation the Minister of Religious Affairs should publicly apologize to those whose departures were cancelled and refund the money they paid to his ministry. For the next pilgrimage season, these haj hopefuls, particularly those who are going on the pilgrimage for the first time, should receive priority.

Helping addicts takes some tough love Leony Aurora, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta "How do you tell if a kid is smoking a joint from a regular cigarette?" asked the man in his 50s. "If they blow on it like this," David Djaelani Gordon answered, putting his thumb and index finger in front of his mouth, miming a few short drags and passing the imaginary joint to the next person. His face creased into an imitation of someone getting high. "What's the effect? How does it feel?" asked another parent.

Chui's shawl sweeps Paris contest What is it about the winning combination of Indonesians, fashion and Paris? Many have studied fashion technology there, some, such as Medan-born Farah Angsana, have made their mark by presenting their collections at the annual haute couture shows and others have taken prizes for their handiwork.

Getting help 12-step program and psychotherapy Yayasan Harapan Permata Hati Kita Villa Pandawa Yakita, Jl. Ciasin No. 21 Ciawi, Bogor, West Java (Tel. 0251-243077) 12-step programs Yayasan Al Jahu Jl. Raya Tanjung Barat No. 3 Pasar Minggu, South Jakarta (Tel. 021-7806871) Yayasan Karisma Jl. Wolter Monginsidi No. 18, South Jakarta (Tel. 021-7243351) Therapeutic communities Wisma Adiksi Jl. Jati Indah I no. 23 Pondok Labu, South Jakarta (Tel. 021-7690455) Yayasan Tulus Hati Jl. Pasuruan No.

Muddled haj management From Warta Kota My wife is among those whose departure for the haj pilgrimage 2004 has been delayed due to unprofessional or muddled management by the minister of religious affairs. Therefore, we are preparing a claim for compensation, to include a free umroh or minor pilgrimage.

Seemann, an ambassador of education Christina Schott, Contributor, Jakarta Diplomats come and go. They usually do not stay in any one country longer than the term of their posts and are hardly seen again. But Heinrich Seemann is a diplomat who came back.

TV Program: Sunday, January 4, 2004 .TB.30" .90" TVRI 6:00 a.m. Morning News 7:00 Cartoon 8:00 TV Drama: Kemelut Cinta 9:00 Children's Program: Bando 11:00 Variety Show: Maskum Show 12:30 p.m.

JP/7/LET74.ARP Toll road gate shifts to relieve jams From Kompas The Jakarta toll road extending from Cawang to Semanggi is always congested in the morning due to obstructions caused by tailbacks of cars attempting to exit near the Kuningan and Semanggi bridges. Based on my observations, the congestion could be reduced by shifting the exits to places other than the Pancoran, Kuningan and Semanggi bridges. This is because Jalan Gatot Subroto can accommodate a lot more traffic.

Blast rattles home of election official Indra Harsaputra/ID Nugroho, The Jakarta Post, Surabaya A bomb exploded late Friday in front of a house owned by a senior poll official in the East Java regency of Pasuruan. No fatalities were reported. The explosion was the second incident so far, after an anonymous party sent a package to the central General Elections Commission (KPU) in Jakarta containing 11 live bullets, in October last year. There are 11 KPU members. H.M.

Seouls effects SARS measures SOUTH KOREA: South Korea stepped up from Saturday efforts to monitor the health of people arriving from China's southern Guangdong province, where one person is undergoing tests for the deadly SARS virus, health authorities said. Travelers from Guangdong would be called five days after their arrival to check whether they were unwell or had fever, said an official at the National Institute of Health.

Pluit residents brace for more floods Leony Aurora, The Jakarta Post , Jakarta The sky was bright and the roads dry on Saturday, but residents of Pluit and Penjaringan subdistricts in North Jakarta were still anxiously awaiting the rainy days to come. Many welcomed in the new year equipped with buckets, to remove the water which had seeped into their houses. Floodwater levels on the roads in Pluit housing complex ranged between 10 cm and 80 cm.

Aftershocks keep quake victims on edge The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Hundreds of earthquake victims on Lombok island remained on Saturday in makeshift tents, one day after a powerful earthquake rocked the island and its neighboring resort island of Bali. According to one victim, they had not gone home yet as they feared that aftershocks would hit the island. Others said they were afraid to sleep inside their houses, because the structures had been damaged.

Healthy home keeps spring in the elderly's step Nirwono Joga, Contributor, Jakarta Establishing a healthy home for the elderly is something that we should plan in the present, considering that a recent report from the World Health Organization estimated the elderly population would see a 414 percent increase to 22.68 million people by 2020.

Let the numbers speak * Of addicts entering Yakita, on average 80 percent are IV drug users. Some of the viruses transmitted intravenously are HBV (hepatitis B), HCV (hepatitis C) and HIV. * Up to 1997, HIV prevalence in IV drug users was around zero percent, but it has grown steadily since then. The Drug Addiction Hospital (RSKO) recorded that in 2001, 48 percent of IV drug users admitted to its facility tested positive for HIV.

From Kompas The behavior of politicians and the political scene in Indonesia indeed leave most laymen sad and cautious. The current situation is in contrast to the years following the birth of the republic, when many figures were deeply imbued with nationalism and patriotism. As a student, I once read a book by one of Indonesia's freedom fighters, Sutan Syahrir, titled Perjuangan Kita (Our Struggle). His statement over 50 years ago, which was republished in 1999, is still relevant.