Museum is one man's homage to Javanese culture Cynthia Webb, Contributor, Kaliurang, Yogyakarta In this village on the slopes of Mt. Merapi is Ullen Sentalu Museum, arguably the best museum in the Yogyakarta area. The museum of Javanese art and culture is exceptionally well presented, interesting and informative. There is a gift shop selling traditional arts and crafts of only the finest quality, and a restaurant offering a special ambience.

Flores' Kelimutu lakes, the palette of the gods Nestled in the highlands of Central Flores, the three colored lakes and stunning scenery of Kelimutu National Park make it the island of Flores' premier natural tourist attraction. The draw of the park is the incredible view of the crater lakes, but it is the cool misty air and the unique moon-like landscape that make a morning atop Kelimutu memorable.

;AP; ANPA ..r.. Malaysia-Election-Heaven or Hell? Malaysia's Islamic opposition leader comes under fire for saying JP/1/MALAY2 Addition Both Nik Aziz's party and Abdullah's United Malays National Organization compete for votes from ethnic Malay Muslims, who are about 60 percent of the country's 25 million population.

Taufik wants nationalist-religious coalition Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Sukabumi, West Java Clearly still haunted by the price it had to pay for the overconfident attitude of its leader after winning the 1999 general elections, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) is stepping up efforts to lure other major parties as a coalition partner in facing the country's first direct presidential election on July 5.

Ancient Bugis odyssey begins its modern journey Carla Bianpoen, Contributor, Singapore A white transparent screen with ancient Bugis script, golden rain against a cold-blue sky, costumes playing up the beauty of the neckline and the abstraction of the body, skilled lighting and the music of 12 musicians with 60 instruments.

Mine reoperating after fatal incident Eva C. Komandjaja and Theresia Sufa, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta/Bogor The state mining company PT Aneka Tambang (Antam) has resumed operation after a deadly incident inside Mount Pongkor gold mine in Bogor regency, although miners are still trapped within the mine. Head of Pongkor operation unit, Iwan Irawan, reassured the public on Saturday that activities at the mine operation would not be disrupted by the incident that took place early on Wednesday.

Kelimutu lakes, the palette of the gods Nestled in the highlands of Central Flores, the three colored lakes and stunning scenery of Kelimutu National Park make it the island of Flores' premier natural tourist attraction. The draw of the park is the incredible view of the crater lakes, but it is the cool misty air and the unique moon-like landscape that make a morning atop Kelimutu memorable.

Komodo curiosities * Komodo dragons are found on Komodo, Rinca and Gili Motang in the Lesser Sunda islands, as well as a small population on Flores. The estimated total population in 1999 was about 5,000 animals. * It is the world's largest carnivorous lizard, with males reaching up to 500 pounds in weight. * The komodo dragon's saliva contains a deadly poison, staphyloccus, with no known cure. Even if an animal escapes after being bitten, it is almost certain to die of infection.

The statues and sense of humor Those who have been living in Jakarta for years must have become people with high sense of humor. They must be capable in turning irregularities -- which have become commonplace at any pulse of life in the teeming capital city -- into jokes to keep their blood pressure normal. Look at the sidewalks which are always full of vendors, despite regulation prohibiting anybody from occupying sidewalks.

KPU reschedules ballot paper printing deadline A. Junaidi, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Twenty-nine days ahead of the legislative election, the General Elections Commission (KPU) has set March 14 as the deadline for 17 consortia to complete the ballot paper printing, a three-day delay from its original schedule.

No injuries as plane skids on landing INDONESIA: All 174 passengers and crew of a Mandala Airlines flight were reported unharmed after their Boeing B-737-200 from Medan, North Sumatra, skidded on landing on Saturday at Soekarno Hatta International Airport in Tangerang, Banten. "Rescue officials have evacuated all the passengers and crew safely," the airport's officer in charge, Tri Nugroho, said. Mandala flight 093 took off from Medan at about 2 p.m. for the two-hour flight to Jakarta.

Travel warning shadows student exchange Prapti Widinugraheni, Contributor, Perth, Australia The hope of creating lifelong friends across cultural and racial divides is diminishing for young Australians as politics and security come between them and Indonesia.

Persebaya jumps to second place The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Fifth placed Persebaya Surabaya crushed visiting Semen Padang 5-0 and moved into second place of the Indonesian Soccer League at the Sepuluh November Stadium, Surabaya, on Saturday. Meanwhile, Persikota Tangerang fell slightly to third place after being beaten 0-1 in its away match against host PSS Sleman at the Tridadi Stadium, Yogyakarta.

RI militants held in Malaysia: Report Reuters, Kuala Lumpur Malaysia is holding in detention six Indonesians caught returning from a Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) training camp in the southern Philippines, a senior security official told Reuters on Saturday. The security source said the six men were caught several weeks ago, but their arrest kept quiet. "They were all Indonesians on their way home from the southern Philippines where they had been at a JI training camp," the source told Reuters.

HRT? Let's wait and see Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) has been promoted for years as a "wonder drug" that could not only deal with severe symptoms of menopause but also provide protection from other conditions like osteoporosis or colorectal cancer, and even improve general levels of energy and appearance. But do many people know what it is or its risks and benefits? Are they willing to give it a try? The Jakarta Post asked some people and compiled their responses below.

A street holdup, and the kindness of strangers Joseph Kirschke, Contributor, Jakarta It was one of those moments that every foreigner -- expat or tourist -- dreads. My rickety taxi was making its way from my home in Kemang, South Jakarta, to a Jakarta nightclub when it stopped in its tracks in front of Blok M. A man in his twenties with a black T-shirt on circled the cab while pounding on its windows; I reached over to lock the door opposite the driver's seat; mine was already locked.

A refuge for rare creatures The continung illegal trade in protected species and the proliferation of people keeping endangered animals as status symbol "pets" are decimating wild populations of many species. The presence of temporary wildlife shelters, like one in Sentolo district in Kulonprogo regency, some 15 kilometers to the west of Yogyakarta, offers fresh hope for their survival.

More domestic air carriers fly regional routes Sudibyo M. Wiradi, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Indonesians wishing to travel to other Asian countries now have more air carriers to choose from, with several new domestic airlines entering regional routes. In addition to established air carriers Garuda Indonesia and Merpati Nusantara Airlines, other local airlines are now flying to Asian countries, tapping the growing market in the region.

Observatory wants to be left to its own devices Leony Aurora, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta When it comes to the setting of a sterile laboratory, with scientists clad in white jackets mixing solutions into test tubes or peeking through a microscope, we know our place. We would stay put behind thick glass windows, leaving the scientists to conduct their scientific endeavors, being careful to keep out of harm's way.

Jewelry maker shines on her own Hera Diani, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta If jewelry entrepreneur Elizabeth Wahyu was cast from the usual rich kid mold, she would be sitting pretty in one of daddy's firms or doing much of nothing like Paris Hilton. The 30-year-old mother had another thing in mind for her career, something less lucrative than the family's export import business.

TV Program: Sunday, March 7, 2004 .TB.30" .90" TVRI 6:00 a.m. Morning News 6:30 Documentary 7:00 Children's Program: Dongeng Anak 9:00 Music: Delta 10:00 TV Drama: Si Kabayan 11:00 Variety Show: Maskum Show 12:30 p.m. Children Show: Pentas Ceria 1:00 News: Berita Siang 1:30 Children Drama 2:30 English News Service 3:00 Music 3:30 City News 4:00 Cartoon 5:00 English For Fun 5:30 Music 7:00 News 7:30 Music: Dansa Yo Dansa 9:00 News: Dunia Dalam Berita 11:30 TV Drama TPI 6:00 a.m.

Ancient Bugis odyssey begins its modern adventure Carla Bianpoen Contributor Singapore A white transparent screen with ancient Bugis script, golden rain against a cold-blue sky, costumes playing up the beauty of the neckline and the abstraction of the body, skilled lighting and the music of 12 musicians with 60 instruments.

Cheap fares but passengers get limited services I. Christianto, Contributor, Jakarta During an aerospace or aviation show, flying enthusiasts enjoy jet fighters and other aircraft taking off, soaring and playfully chasing each other through the sky. Similar acrobatic maneuvers are apparent in the price war between budget airlines.

Mega to visit war-torn Aceh Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta President Megawati Soekarnoputri is slated to make her first visit to the war-torn province of Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam on Sunday since the implementation of martial law in the province last year. Scheduled to stay for around three hours in Banda Aceh, Megawati will inaugurate a several development projects worth a total of Rp 124.2 billion (US$14.6million).

High anxiety: At the ready for everyday disasters Aida Greenbury, Contributor, Jakarta I think that some of the residents of this city are fond of disasters. In other words, it's like an ulcer on your skin; when it's there, you are annoyed by it and wish that it'd just disappear. But when it's not around, you miss it, probing every inch of your skin, dying to scratch it, missing the enjoyable itch. I know all kinds of gritty creatures who have lived in this city all their life.

Up close and personal with the Komodo dragon Jock Paul, Contributor, Rinca, East Nusa Tenggara When a reptile is over two meters long, weighs 150 kilograms and has skin as thick and strong as bone, it does not need to hide. In fact, the largest lizard on earth can walk wherever it wants. On my trip to the Komodo National Park, it did not take long to appreciate what this confidence means for the Komodo dragons.