Bogor government cancels demolition

BOGOR, West Java: Buckling under public pressure, the mayoralty canceled over the weekend a plan to demolish an Islamic boarding school built on state land.

The authorities instead asked the management of Nurul Imdad school to obtain the necessary license, land title and building permit.

Principal Ahmad Zaini Dahlan was glad to hear the news but said he would not believe it until he obtained first-hand information from the local government.

The authorities twice issued an order to demolish the school, which has about 400 students, two weeks ahead of the May 29 election.

School officials said they believed the demolition threat was linked to their refusal to support the government-backed political party Golkar in the election. They backed the Moslem- oriented United Development Party (PPP).

The school was opened by the local government last year and the demolition threat meet strong opposition from both the school and the public. (24/01)