Police summon witnesses over SMP 56 controversy

Evi Mariani, Jakarta

The Jakarta Police have summoned nine witnesses related to their investigation of the dispute over SMP 56 state junior high school.

"Since we just started the investigation this week, we have yet to name any suspects or any possible charges," said Sr. Comr. Edmon Ilyas, the chief detective of the city police's special crimes division, on Friday.

The nine witnesses were the principal and two teachers of the "new" SMP 56 located on Jl. Jeruk Purut in East Cilandak, South Jakarta, Jakarta Basic Education Agency head Gito Utomo Purnomo and five officials from the Ministry of National Education.

Edmon said police had yet to summon the sole civil servant teacher at SMP 56 on Jl. Melawai Raya in South Jakarta, Nurlaila, either as a witness or a suspect.

The police received a complaint from the city administration on April 24, reporting Nurlaila "for conducting educational activities without a license".

Asked if the investigation indicated that Nurlaila and students at SMP 56 Melawai had violated Law No. 20/2003 on education, Edmon only replied that the police would have to uncover strong evidence and a solid legal basis to support the allegation.

The administration gave an April 28 deadline for the remaining students at SMP 56 in Melawai to vacate the premises or lose their formal academic recognition. It also offered the students free enrollment and tuition for an entire academic year if they vacated the school.

The dispute began in 2000 following the Ministry of National Education's deal with private developer PT Tata Disantara, owned by former manpower minister Abdul Latief, to trade the land in Melawai for two plots of land and buildings in Jeruk Purut and Bintaro.