Nurlaila's grilled for six hours

Teacher Nurlaila of SMP 56 state junior high school in Melawai, South Jakarta, was questioned as a suspect at the Jakarta Police Headquarters on Thursday for six hours over multiple charges filed by the city administration.

She arrived at the headquarters at around 1:30 p.m., after school hours.

While she was being questioned for the third times, dozens of her supporters, mostly students' parents, staged a protest outside the headquarters. Later, some people from a separate rally protesting against the World Bank joined the demonstration to show their support for Nurlaila.

In three days of questioning -- the first on Monday and the second on Tuesday -- the city police focused on at least three charges: teaching without a permit, document forgery and unlawful entry.

The administration reported Nurlaila as she insisted on continuing academic activities at the school even though the city had relocated most of the students to the new SMP 56 building in Jeruk Purut, South Jakarta.

She is alleged to have violated Law No. 20/2003 on national education, which requires all schools to hold an operating license from the provincial administration. Violators face a maximum 10 years in jail and/or a Rp 1 billion (US$11,111) fine.

The Jeruk Purut building was provided by developer PT Tata Disantara, a company owned by former manpower minister Abdul Latief, following a controversial land swap deal signed in 2000 between the Ministry of National Education and the developer. This was in addition to the construction of SMA 87 state high school in Bintaro, South Jakarta. -- JP