Govt team still looking into Kampar case: Minister<\/p>\n
Mikael Onny Setiawan and Haidir Anwar Tandjung, Balikpapan, Riau<\/p>\n
Home minister Hari Sabarno has hinted that the central government
\nwill not make a final decision on the fate of Kampar Regent Jefri
\nNoer in the near future because an investigation into the
\nregent's case was still ongoing.<\/p>\n
In the meantime, teachers and students in Kampar gave the
\nminister three days to approve the regent's dismissal, otherwise
\nthey will resume their street protests on Wednesday. They had
\ninitially planned to return to the streets on Monday.<\/p>\n
Responding to the teachers' threat, Hari said in Balikpapan,
\nEast Kalimantan, on Monday that a final decision would be made
\nonly after the result of the investigation was reported to
\nPresident Megawati Soekarnoputri.<\/p>\n
"Our team is still probing the case and its result will be
\nannounced to the public soon after it makes a recommendation in
\nline with the investigation's result," he said.<\/p>\n
Hari, along with Indonesia Military chief Gen. Endriartono
\nSutarto and National Police chief Gen. Da'i Bachtiar, was in
\nBalikpapan to monitor preparations for the April 5 general
\nelection.<\/p>\n
Some 7,000 teachers in Riau province have threatened to resign
\nif the home minister does not approve Jefri's dismissal as
\nproposed by the Kampar regency legislative council. It also
\nsuggested that Jefri's deputy, A. Zakir, be replaced.<\/p>\n
In line with the 1999 Regional Autonomy Law, the regency
\nlegislative council is waiting for approval from the central
\ngovernment for the two official's dismissal.<\/p>\n
The regental legislature unanimously agreed to dismiss the
\nregent and his deputy on Feb. 21 to put an end to protests that
\nwere paralyzing public services and disrupting the political
\nsituation in the province.<\/p>\n
Tens of thousands of teachers and students in the province
\ndemonstrated in protest against the expulsion by the regent of a
\nsenior high school principal from a meeting room, which they said
\nwas a insult to the teaching profession.<\/p>\n
The school principal, Abdul Latief, was ordered to leave the
\nmeeting room when he questioned the regency's 2004 low education
\nbudget. Later, Jefri denied he had expelled Latief due to his
\nquestion about the education budget.<\/p>\n
The chairman of the local chapter of the Indonesian Teachers
\nUnion (PGRI), M. Yasir, said the teachers had agreed to delay
\ndemonstrating again until Wednesday in an attempt to give time
\nfor the central government to make an objective decision.<\/p>\n
"We will return to the streets to air our demands, plus 7,000
\nteachers will resign if the home minister decides not to act on
\nthe Kampar regency legislature's decision," he said.<\/p>\n
The regency legislature has called on Riau Governor Rusli
\nZainal to take over the administration in Kampar to prevent the
\npolitical situation from worsening, but provincial administration
\nspokesman Sjaifuddin said the governor could not do so as it was
\nagainst the law.<\/p>\n
Head of the provincial education office Emrizal Pakis called
\non teachers and the PGRI not to politicize education because it
\nwould only disadvantage them and their students.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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