Primary School in NTT Allegedly Being Displaced for Kopdes Merah Putih, Minister Pigai: Not Permitted!
Minister of Human Rights Natalius Pigai has responded to widespread reports that a state primary school in Ende, East Nusa Tenggara, was allegedly going to be displaced for the construction of a Kopdes Merah Putih village cooperative. Pigai prohibited such action. “Oh, we certainly will not permit that. Not allowed, my apologies,” Pigai told journalists at the Indonesian House of Representatives building in Jakarta on Wednesday.
Pigai underscored the importance of schools. He emphasised that schools must not be displaced for the sake of any programme or policy. “Regarding the displacement of a cooperative school in the regions, displacement of a school—schools are important. Schools are very important, so merely because there is a programme, because there is a policy, then converting a school into development programmes is not permitted,” he said.
He stated that education is also a vital aspect for the nation. He reiterated that schools must not be replaced with other programmes. “Because a very important need for the Indonesian nation is the education aspect. I do not know where, I also do not yet have that information. But it is an issue. Even if it is an issue, I must answer that conversion of something that is an essential element in national development—namely the field of education—is not allowed,” he said.
Pigai will also instruct his staff to verify the truth of the report. “Certainly it will be investigated. If you provide the data, I will order the regional office to check. Not allowed,” he added.
Head of the Indonesian National Armed Forces Information Centre, Brigadier General Muhammad Nas, had earlier provided clarification regarding the widespread reports that a state primary school in Ende, East Nusa Tenggara, was about to be displaced for the Kopdes Merah Putih village cooperative construction. He dismissed the reports.
Muhammad Nas conveyed this during a media gathering at TNI Headquarters in Cilangkap, East Jakarta, on Tuesday. “It turns out, everyone, it is not about displacing the school. It has not been placed to replace the school, no. The school—I repeat—the KDMP is being built behind the school. The access road was insufficient, so it had to pass through the school,” he said.
He explained that while the heavy equipment was manoeuvring, it struck a school pillar. The pillar was then temporarily shifted in order to be repaired. “Previously, the incident occurred when the heavy equipment hit a person’s durian tree branch, reportedly the size of a big toe; the woman was angry and shouting. That was the clip, the woman was angry, and there was heavy equipment there,” he clarified.