Riding the waves Boats are not for a leisurely ride on the lake for the Biak people in Papua, but the essential mode of transportation for their daily needs. Here, boats take the place of motorbikes or cars in urban areas. People need them when they go fishing in the open sea, ferry their children to school or even for play. As day breaks or night falls, the boats are a fixture in witnessing the changing colors, be it blue in the morning or red when the sun sets in the evening.

Candidates agree to resolve disputes in court Muninggar Sri Saraswati, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Three pairs of presidential and vice presidential candidates agreed on Saturday to settle any disputes that may arise from the July 5 election in the newly established Constitutional Court. Gen.

Wiranto, Xanana meet behind closed doors I Wayan Juniartha and Muninggar Sri Saraswati, The Jakarta Post, Seminyak/Jakarta Gen. (ret) Wiranto held a closed door meeting with East Timor President Xanana Gusmao in Bali on Saturday night, just two weeks after the Serious Crimes Unit (SCU) in Dili issued an arrest warrant for the Golkar Party candidate.

UK warns of terror threat in RI INDONESIA: The British government said it was receiving information that indicated terrorists were planning attacks in Indonesia. The warning, posted on the website of the British embassy in Jakarta and seen on Saturday, follows similar statements by the United States, Australia and Canada in the past week.

Out of the city, into the woods Despite the gorgeous views, most urban dwellers would probably find themselves feeling out of place in a remote forest far from the madding crowd. Last week, a group of journalists from Jakarta found themselves in just that situation. Invited to try out the Sony DVD handycam DCR-DVD201, which was used to take the photographs on this page, they headed to secluded Citalahab hamlet in Mt. Halimun National Park in Sukabumi, West Java.

Enchanting tourist destinations around Indonesia Sudibyo M. Wiradji, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta With over 17,000 islands, Indonesia has many other fascinating resorts to choose from beyond Bali for both domestic and foreign tourists. Tourist attractions abound here, with each province having its own quintessential appeal. From the wonders of nature, cultural interests, holy charms to adrenaline-pumping adventure quests; it all makes up the diversity of Indonesia.

PKB officials pledge to back Wiranto's bid M. Taufiqurrahman and Indra Harsaputra, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta/Surabaya Thirty provincial chapters of the National Awakening Party (PKB) pledged on Saturday to support the decision of the party's central executive board to endorse Gen. (ret) Wiranto for president. The direct election is scheduled for July 5. PKB executive board member Mahfud M.D.

Freedom of speech means just that Aida Greenbury, Contributor, Jakarta I am sick of the so-called nationalists relaying their biased criticism about Indonesian people who prefer English to Bahasa Indonesia in their daily communication. So tell me, what's wrong with using English in this multiracial country? Is there something terribly wrong about the Queen's language? As long as those people use the language properly and their reasons to use it, so what?

Green Maps show oases of calm in the city Fritz Kuhlmann, Contributor, Jakarta Complaining is all too easy sometimes. Jakarta is strangled by traffic, a concrete jungle, suffocating from pollution, dirty and frantic, common knowledge says. But that is only one side of the city. There is another, greener side. But it sometimes is hidden, neglected or ignored. "There are open spaces, but they are not really accessible or inviting," urban designer Marco Kusumawijaya said recently.

Learning House helps residents out of economic problems Leony Aurora, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Tucked away in a narrow alley behind the Proclamation Monument park in Pegangsaan, Central Jakarta, stands a freshly painted house with a sign out front that reads: "Learning House of the Proclamation Community." The cheerful-looking house, with green walls and a red door, was officially opened by the World Conscience Foundation and GE Consumer Finance on Saturday.

Tommy's works show little things mean a lot Andy Prabowo, Contributor, Jakarta When you walk into Tommy Tanggara's first solo show, you will be struck by one big difference from your average Jakarta art event. There's a simplicity and peacefulness to the works in the exhibition, The Evolution of Form, that are a relief to the senses. They are neither figurative nor decorative -- there is not a recognizably Indonesian symbol in sight.

Perth: The best things in life are free after all Prapi Widinugraheni, Contributor, Perth It was a warm Saturday morning on the "cappuccino strip" of Fremantle, a port town about 20 minutes from Perth's central business district. As people breakfasted at sidewalk cafes, three men walked by. Nothing about them was unusual, but their slow gait -- and the pack of kretek (clove) cigarettes one was holding -- was a giveaway: Indonesian tourists in Perth. Fremantle is favored by tourists.

Hydrocephalus: A treatable condition when caught early Maria Endah Hulupi, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Twenty-year-old Sariti, a single mother from a small village in Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara, first sensed something was wrong with her son Sarobi when he was two months old. His head seemed larger than it should be, but she carried on with her life, leaving her small home to work in the paddy fields early in the morning after putting Sarobi down to sleep.

TV Program: Sunday, May 30, 2004 .TB.30" .90" TVRI 6:00 a.m. Morning News 7:00 Children Show: Pentas Ceria 9:00 Music: Delta 10:00 Sports: Otoscreen 11:00 TV Drama 12:30 p.m. English for Fun 1:00 News: Berita Siang 2:00 Music 3:00 English News Service 4:30 Pak Odor's Show 5:00 Cartoon: Robocon 7:00 News: Berita Malam 7:30 TV Drama 9:00 News: Dunia Dalam Berita 9:30 Music: Dansa Yo Dansa 11:00 TV Drama: Cempala TPI 6:30 a.m.

Taking the waters at Jakarta's most elegant spa Bruce Emond, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta As I schlepped my considerable personage in shorts and sandals through the silent courtyard of The Dharmawangsa in South Jakarta, past the L-shaped swimming pool with its surrounding trees gently bowing in the twilight, I wondered what lay ahead for me at my 6:30 p.m. spa appointment. Despite appearances to the contrary, I have become somewhat of a health treatment junkie.

Begging for attention: The fate of street kids The traffic lights turn red and cars stop, waiting impatiently for the green to reappear. It is usually hot and sticky outside the comfort of the air- conditioned car cubicles, but even when it rains, it makes no difference to the children who invariably knock on the car windows with their hands outstretched, begging. The thick, leaded pollution only adds to the children's misery. Children compete with the elderly and disabled for loose change.

Alone in the crowd Sri Mulyanti Goenawan I have lived here for three months now and I suppose I should be able to "fit in", make friends, have a social life, be "one of the crowd". Somehow, I just cannot find my way. Jakarta, the big capital city, is the place I had to come to to work. To fulfill my ambitions, or rather the ambitions of my family, it was inevitable that Jakarta was where I would end up to pursue a career in banking after graduating.

Refuge offers different approach to education Fabio Scarpello, Contributor, Jakarta Thinking of theater and of a "supportive environment" as the main tools to educate children is quite a departure from conventional education methods, and quite a task for the teachers who decide to follow such a visionary approach. And if the children are slum dwellers, orphans and street children, the task becomes an epic one.

Maria Endah Hulupi Jakarta Twenty-year-old Sariti, a single mother from a small village in Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara, first sensed something was wrong with her son Sarobi when he was two months old. His head seemed larger than it should be, but she carried on with her life, leaving her small home to work in the paddy fields early in the morning after putting Sarobi down to sleep. She returned late in the afternoon, bringing home a little of the discarded paddy as her wage.

Out of the city, into the woods Despite the gorgeous views, most urban dwellers would probably find themselves feeling out of place in a remote forest far from the madding crowd. Last week, a group of journalists from Jakarta found themselves in just that situation. Invited to try out the Sony DVD handycam DCR-DVD201, which was used to take the photographs on this page, they headed to secluded Citalahab hamlet in Mount Halimun National Park in Sukabumi, West Java.

Two drown as ship sinks INDONESIA: Two people died and five others went missing when their ship sank on Thursday in the waters off Mandiangin, West Pasaman regency, in West Sumatra, an official said on Saturday. One of the two people confirmed to have died was the ship's captain, Zaherman. The ship, carrying some 25 passengers, sank after being struck by a large wave, said Jamri, the acting regent of West Pasaman regency.

'Big powers' pushed for arrest: Minister Rohan Sullivan, Associated Press, Kuala Lumpur Malaysia arrested a senior figure in a worldwide nuclear arms network because he exposed the country to attacks and economic sanctions from "big powers," a minister said on Saturday. The minister did not name any country, but opposition leaders accused the government of arresting Buhary Syed Abu Tahir to appease Washington.

Does learning English need a trigger to blossom? G.S. Edwin, Contributor, Jakarta Many non-native speakers value English more than a mere job- finder, because they are enslaved and fascinated by the English language. However, they needed a trigger in their life for their love of English to blossom. Today, English is increasingly taught and studied in Indonesia. Indonesians who love English, as more than a mere job-finder, may welcome a trigger, but they must watch-out.

Bali resorts await holidaymakers Rita A. Widiadana, The Jakarta Post, Denpasar Holiday season is drawing near, and Bali will again be busy after months of little tourist activity. With the scare over Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), in the past, and a more stable security condition, star-rated hotels and luxury resorts on Bali are hoping for the best. Since 2002, when Bali suffered a devastating bomb attack, the number of visitors to the island has dwindled.

Where to go in Jakarta: Sunday, May 30, 2004 Exhibitions * Painting A Street called Margutta by Remo Rapetti at Multifunctional Room, Istituto Italiano di Cultura, Jl.H.O.S Cokroaminoto No. 117, Central Jakarta, until May 30. * Sex and the City - an exhibition of Indonesian erotic art from the 13th to the 20th century. Stone, terracotta, bronze, wood, textiles, gold and silver at Dharma Mulia Galleries, Jl. Ciputat Raya No. 50 (Tel. 7492850), 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., until May 31.