{
    "success": true,
    "data": {
        "id": 1229359,
        "msgid": "drug-testing-order-stuns-n-sumatra-officials-1447893297",
        "date": "2002-06-25 00:00:00",
        "title": "Drug testing order stuns N. Sumatra officials",
        "author": null,
        "source": "JP",
        "tags": null,
        "topic": null,
        "summary": "Drug testing order stuns N. Sumatra officials Apriadi Gunawan, The Jakarta Post, Medan All high-ranking officials in North Sumatra Governor's office were surprised on Monday to find a sudden instruction by governor T. Rizal Nurdin requiring them to have a urine sample screened for drugs. The test was conducted for 61 officials from echelon II and above, while similar tests for lower-ranking officials will be held within the next few days.",
        "content": "<p>Drug testing order stuns N. Sumatra officials<\/p>\n<p>Apriadi Gunawan, The Jakarta Post, Medan<\/p>\n<p>All high-ranking officials in North Sumatra Governor's office<br>\nwere surprised on Monday to find a sudden instruction by governor<br>\nT. Rizal Nurdin requiring them to have a urine sample screened<br>\nfor drugs.<\/p>\n<p>The test was conducted for 61 officials from echelon II and<br>\nabove, while similar tests for lower-ranking officials will be<br>\nheld within the next few days.<\/p>\n<p>Governor Nurdin ordered the test immediately after he<br>\ncompleted chairing a meeting on the city projects. The<br>\nannouncement shocked the officials who were in the meeting room.<\/p>\n<p>The governor said the local administration was committed to<br>\nfight drug abuse in the province, suggesting that the campaign<br>\nand war against drugs should start from his own office.<\/p>\n<p>\"There will be firm sanctions imposed up to the dismissal for<br>\nthe officials proven positive in the test,\" Nurdin said, adding<br>\nthat the move was part of the campaign ahead of the No-drugs day<br>\non Wednesday.<\/p>\n<p>The punishment, the governor said, would be in line with the<br>\ngovernment regulation No. 30\/2000 on the civil servants.<\/p>\n<p>Drug abuse has become major threat to Indonesia with an<br>\nestimated 3.4 million people, or a quarter of Jakarta's total<br>\npopulation, are known to be drug abusers in 2001.<\/p>\n<p>The figure was nearly a 100 percent increase from the data in<br>\n1999 that stood at only two million people.<\/p>\n<p>President Megawati Soekarnoputri had declared the government's<br>\nintention to give harsher punishment for drug abusers, even the<br>\ndeath penalty and order all government officials to undergo drug<br>\ntests.<\/p>\n<p>The North Sumatra governor's office is the first government<br>\noffice that conducted the drug test.<\/p>\n<p>Nurdin said that he had also ordered the testing to be<br>\nconducted in every government's office throughout the province as<br>\npart of the war against drugs.<\/p>\n<p>\"The result of the first test will be announced within the<br>\nnext three days,\" the governor said.<\/p>",
        "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/drug-testing-order-stuns-n-sumatra-officials-1447893297",
        "image": ""
    },
    "sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
    "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}