Custom officials foil 19 smuggling attempts TANGERANG (JP): The customs and excise office of the Soekarno- Hatta International Airport have managed to foil 19 smuggling attempts of items worth about Rp 782.2 billion (US$97.77 million) over the last 10 months, an official said on Thursday.

IBRA to unload 27% of assets under its control JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Bank Restructuring Agency (IBRA) plans to unload 27 percent of the Rp 96 trillion (US$12.8 billion) in assets taken over from banks under its control this year. IBRA chairman Glenn Yusuf said at a dinner with journalists here on Wednesday that the agency would hold a roadshow next month to market the assets.

Agriculture budget 'too small' JAKARTA (JP): The massive cut in the allotment for the agricultural sector in the 1999/2000 State Budget reflects the government's ignorance in identifying and taking advantage of the country's most promising sector, analysts have said. They added the allotment was too small to encourage agricultural activities.

Govt drafts new bill to monitor forex transfers JAKARTA (JP): The government plans to strictly monitor the flow of foreign exchange by requiring all transfers of capital in and out of the country to be reported, according to a new draft law. The Foreign Exchange Traffic and Exchange Rate System Bill, a copy of which was obtained by The Jakarta Post, will be submitted by the government to the House of Representatives for deliberation early next month, a source said.

New age sparks millenarianism By Marianus Kleden This is the first of two articles about a new age in the revived spirit of millenarianism. KUPANG, East Nusa Tenggara (JP): Millenarianism, a popular belief of the coming of a just king to free an oppressed nation, seems prevalent among Indonesians nowadays who look forward to the coming of a just leader.

Civil servants issue likely to be dropped from bills JAKARTA (JP): Two Cabinet ministers hinted on Thursday that the controversial issue of the political role of Indonesia's 4.1 million civil servants would likely be dropped from the political bills being deliberated by the House of Representatives, and regulated instead by a different piece of legislation.

Indonesia-Singapore to sign gas sales agreement today JAKARTA (JP): State oil and gas company Pertamina has said it will on Friday (today) sign a contract to supply Singapore's Sembawang Gas (SembGas) with natural gas from the West Natuna gas fields through a 640-kilometer underwater pipeline.