School uniform cost dispute triggered bomb threat at South Jakarta elementary school

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Police have revealed that the motive behind a bomb threat at SDN Srengseng Sawah 15 Pagi, Jagakarsa, South Jakarta, was the perpetrator’s offence at a teacher’s comment regarding school uniform costs.

‘So, a few days before the incident, he asked about the uniform. The reply was, “Never mind, you don’t need to buy the uniform, I know your situation”,’ said Head of Public Relations for the South Jakarta Metro Police, AKP Joko Adi, to reporters on Wednesday.

Police stated the suspect admitted to receiving the remark during a conversation with a teacher at the school. Feeling slighted by the teacher’s treatment, the parent of a student decided to carry out the terror, though he did not anticipate the widespread alarm it would cause.

‘According to the suspect’s statement, he was upset with one of the school staff and vented his frustration through this act,’ Joko said. The suspect has since expressed shame over his actions and must now face legal consequences behind bars at the South Jakarta Metro Police.

The suspect is charged under Article 600 of Law Number 1 of 2023, which carries a penalty of 5 to 20 years in prison, life imprisonment, or the death penalty. Article 601, which addresses similar acts with the intent to cause terror or mass casualties, carries a threat of 3 to 20 years in prison or life imprisonment.

The case came to light after police received a report about a private message received by a teacher via WhatsApp during the flag ceremony on the first day of the school orientation period. The message, received by a first-grade teacher and an administrative staff member, contained a threat to detonate bombs at 11 points within the school and instructed them not to report it to the police.