Probe into alleged STPDN drug cases begins

Probe into alleged STPDN drug cases begins

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Police have begun investigating drug-related incidents allegedly
involving several senior students of the Public Administration
Institute (STPDN) in Sumedang, West Java, delivering a second
blow to the school run by the Ministry of Home Affairs.

The institute recently made headlines when the death of a
student, Wahyu Hidayat, exposed the culture of violent hazing at
the school. Public outrage at the abuse was further fueled when
private station SCTV aired video footage of student beatings
during initiation in June, which prompted calls for the school's
closure.

Sumedang Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Yoyok Subagiono said the
police would bring to light all drug cases and unravel the
institute's drug ring.

"We will solve all drug cases implicating STPDN students, as
well as any other criminal cases at the school," Yoyok was quoted
by Antara as saying.

Yoyok said the alleged drug abuse that went on at the school
indicated the institute's administrators had failed to exercise
any control or supervision over its students.

Nina Karlina, the mother of STPDN student Nunu Karsa Nugraha,
19, said her son was constantly harassed, bullied and beaten by
his seniors after he caught them taking drugs in a student
dormitory.

Nunu eventually withdrew from the institute because of the
bullying, she said.

STPDN lecturer Inu Kencana Syafi'i -- who has been accused of
leaking the violent footage to private television SCTV -- had
reported that drugs were being dealt at the institute, which is
reputed for its military-style discipline.

Inu said he believed that school officials knew about the drug
dealing, and had questioned at least 11 students in connection
with drugs. The eleven students told STPDN authorities that they
had gotten the drugs from Dadang and Bone from outside the
school, he said.

Reports on the cases had been filed with the school's senate,
but the guilty students were spared any disciplinary measures and
remained free to attend classes, Inu said.

The outspoken lecturer has received anonymous death threats,
and is currently under police protection.

Separately, Minister of Home Affairs Hari Sabarno denied on
Friday that his ministry had filed a legal complaint against SCTV
for broadcasting the footage.

"It is not a complaint or reprimand. What is true is that we
have filed a report with the Indonesian Press Council to remind
the media that it should embrace a code of ethics and a proper
standard of journalism when broadcasting news," he told
journalists in Jakarta.

Hari said his ministry only wanted a balanced coverage of the
STPDN issue. "We don't want the press to overexaggerate the bad
things that have happened at STPDN," he said.

Still, the minister accused SCTV of exploiting the footage
with repeated broadcasts to boost its ratings.

"It ran the video over and over. For what reason?" he said.