Team starts inquiry into Kampar protests<\/p>\n
Haidir Anwar Tanjung and Andi Hajramurni, The Jakarta Post,
\nPekanbaru\/Makassar<\/p>\n
A team from the Kampar Regency Council visited schools on Monday
\nin the regency capital of Bangkinang to check into allegations by
\nKampar Regent Jefri Noer that massive protests against him by
\nstudents and teachers were being engineered by outside parties.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, as thousands of students and teachers protested for
\na sixth day on Monday, forcing schools in the regency to close,
\nthe central government said it would not get involved in the
\nmatter. The protesters are demanding the resignation of Jefri,
\nwho has been accused of insulting a local teacher.<\/p>\n
Back to Bangkinang, the team of 13 councillors found at least
\nthree schools were closed. They were unable to enter Bangkinang
\nHigh School because the gates were locked. At two other high
\nschools visited by the councillors, including the Al Badar
\nIslamic Boarding School, classes had been canceled.<\/p>\n
The chairman of the Al Badar Islamic Boarding School
\nFoundation, Bustami Jali, told the councillors that classes had
\nbeen canceled since last Tuesday, the first day of protests by
\nstudents and teachers.<\/p>\n
He denied the protests had been engineered by outside parties,
\nsaying they reflected the real anger of people in the regency.<\/p>\n
Syafrizal, the deputy chairman of the team from the regency
\ncouncil, said the councillors would visit more schools on Tuesday
\nand Wednesday before reporting to their factions on Thursday.<\/p>\n
The Kampar Regency Council will then convene a plenary session
\non Saturday to decide the fate of the beleaguered regent.<\/p>\n
The councillors heard Jefri's version of the incident that
\nsparked the protests during a meeting last Saturday between the
\nregent and the 45 councillors.<\/p>\n
Regarding a threat by Jefri to fire the thousands of teachers
\ninvolved in the protests, Syafrizal of the Golkar Party said that
\nwould not be a prudent solution.<\/p>\n
Thousands of students and teachers were back on the streets on
\nMonday to protest Jefri's allegedly poor treatment of a teacher
\nduring a meeting between the regent and teachers two weeks ago.
\nThe teacher was reportedly ordered out of the meeting room by
\nJefri after questioning the regent's budget allocation for
\neducation.<\/p>\n
Separately in the South Sulawesi capital of Makassar, Minister
\nof Home Affairs Hari Sabarno said he was keeping a close eye on
\nevents in Kampar.<\/p>",
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