Police summon witnesses over SMP 56 controversy

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.