Buton students intimidated

Buton students intimidated

KENDARI, Southeast Sulawesi: Elementary school principals here have threatened to fail students whose parents do not vote for Golkar Party in the general election, according to an independent poll watchdog.

The local branch of the Journalists Network for Poll Monitoring reported that the intimidation occurred at Tomia and Kaledupa state elementary schools.

"This is a unique case," Mappajarungi, the coordinator of the poll monitoring group in Southeast Sulawesi, said when reporting his findings from a four-day investigation in Buton regency.

He said the intimidation of students was a serious violation of election laws and must be stopped immediately.

"We are afraid too many students will have to drop out of school if their parents refuse to succumb to the principals' terror," Mappajarungi was quoted as saying by Antara.