Govt team still looking into Kampar case: Minister

Govt team still looking into Kampar case: Minister

Mikael Onny Setiawan and Haidir Anwar Tandjung, Balikpapan, Riau

Home minister Hari Sabarno has hinted that the central government
will not make a final decision on the fate of Kampar Regent Jefri
Noer in the near future because an investigation into the
regent's case was still ongoing.

In the meantime, teachers and students in Kampar gave the
minister three days to approve the regent's dismissal, otherwise
they will resume their street protests on Wednesday. They had
initially planned to return to the streets on Monday.

Responding to the teachers' threat, Hari said in Balikpapan,
East Kalimantan, on Monday that a final decision would be made
only after the result of the investigation was reported to
President Megawati Soekarnoputri.

"Our team is still probing the case and its result will be
announced to the public soon after it makes a recommendation in
line with the investigation's result," he said.

Hari, along with Indonesia Military chief Gen. Endriartono
Sutarto and National Police chief Gen. Da'i Bachtiar, was in
Balikpapan to monitor preparations for the April 5 general
election.

Some 7,000 teachers in Riau province have threatened to resign
if the home minister does not approve Jefri's dismissal as
proposed by the Kampar regency legislative council. It also
suggested that Jefri's deputy, A. Zakir, be replaced.

In line with the 1999 Regional Autonomy Law, the regency
legislative council is waiting for approval from the central
government for the two official's dismissal.

The regental legislature unanimously agreed to dismiss the
regent and his deputy on Feb. 21 to put an end to protests that
were paralyzing public services and disrupting the political
situation in the province.

Tens of thousands of teachers and students in the province
demonstrated in protest against the expulsion by the regent of a
senior high school principal from a meeting room, which they said
was a insult to the teaching profession.

The school principal, Abdul Latief, was ordered to leave the
meeting room when he questioned the regency's 2004 low education
budget. Later, Jefri denied he had expelled Latief due to his
question about the education budget.

The chairman of the local chapter of the Indonesian Teachers
Union (PGRI), M. Yasir, said the teachers had agreed to delay
demonstrating again until Wednesday in an attempt to give time
for the central government to make an objective decision.

"We will return to the streets to air our demands, plus 7,000
teachers will resign if the home minister decides not to act on
the Kampar regency legislature's decision," he said.

The regency legislature has called on Riau Governor Rusli
Zainal to take over the administration in Kampar to prevent the
political situation from worsening, but provincial administration
spokesman Sjaifuddin said the governor could not do so as it was
against the law.

Head of the provincial education office Emrizal Pakis called
on teachers and the PGRI not to politicize education because it
would only disadvantage them and their students.