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gay man and a transvestite were chosen as envoys for AIDS treatment in Bali during a contest organized by Gaya Dewata Foundation on Saturday.

Surya Tan and Ella Wasabi were crowned as the Raka and Rai couple during the contest, in which 12 couples of gay men and transvestites competed.

Surya is a gay man who has worked at a beauty salon for oneand-half years and has actively participated in the foundation. Ella, a transvestite, also works at a beauty salon.

The contest, the first the foundation has held in five years, was attended by 1,000 people, and was reportedly the merriest since a similar Raka and Rai pageant in 1996.

Surya won the contest after he managed to answer the juries' questions on how HIV spreads and about activities that could not transmit the infection.

Ella also succeeded in convincing the adjudicators when asked about who should be held responsible for the spread of HIV in Bali. "All of us are responsible. We should work together to address the issue," Ella said to the audience's applause.

Christian Supradinata, head of the contest organizing committee, said the foundation decided to hold the Raka and Rai contest after fi ve years in the wake of the increasing prevalence of HIV/AIDS in Bali since last year.

"We observe that there are more homosexuals and transvestites nowadays," Christian said.

"This contest is aimed at campaigning about how to prevent HIV/AIDS among the group."

Christian said it had taken much time and effort to reach the group, including campaigning about the prevention of sexually transmitted infections, which are prevalent among gays and transvestites.

"Most homosexuals and transvestites involved in our campaign were already infected. Therefore, we are focusing our campaign on the use of condoms and the treatment of infections."

I Made Suprapta, secretary of the Bali AIDS Mitigation Commission, called on winners in the contest to serve as role models for the group.

He added HIV/AIDS had already infected the general population.

Data from the provincial health agency showed an upsurge in the number of HIV/AIDS cases.

During January to November last year, the number of HIV/AIDS patients increased by 20 percent from 2,610 to 3,181.

Sixty-seven percent of them, or 2,142 patients, were infected through a heterosexual relationship, while 23 percent other, or 730 patients were contracted the infection since they were injecting drug users.