Hembing launches book on SARS

JAKARTA: Herbal medicine expert H.M. Hembing Wijayakusuma has made the best of the ongoing Jakarta Book Festival 2003, launching his latest book Proteksi Dini Terhadap SARS (How to protect yourself from SARS).

The prolific writer was not dismayed when only several people attended the launch. "It (low attendance) is okay, because this shows that Indonesians are not afraid of SARS," he quipped.

The book offers tips on how to deal with the deadly Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, or SARS, which started in southern China and spread to much of the world.

"I was in Guangdong when the first SARS case was reported, so I think I have the authority to write a book (on it)," he said.

Hembing said he could not imagine if SARS became a nationwide epidemic, as is happening in China, because Indonesians have bad habits when it comes to health and hygiene.

"Even countries that are highly disciplined like China, Taiwan and Singapore are overwhelmed. What might happen if an epidemic breaks out in Indonesia?" he said. -- JP