Student sets himself on fire

BOGOR: A student in a nondegree program in Pakuan University's economics department attempted to commit suicide by setting himself on fire on Sunday evening, allegedly because of poor grades, according to the authorities.

Muksin bin Miswan, 24, made the suicide attempt in a room he rented in a house in Gunung Batu, West Bogor.

Yedi, an eyewitness, said he was near the house with several friends when he saw smoke coming from the building. They rushed into Muksin's room and found the victim on fire.

They put out the fire and brought the victim to the Indonesian Red Cross Hospital in Bogor. Doctors there had Muksin transferred to Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital in Central Jakarta, which is better equipped to handle serious burns.

Syahrum Agung, the head of the nondegree program at the university's economics department, said the victim had failed a number of tests over the past semester.

He said that last week, Muksin asked the university to return his Rp 700,000 tuition for the current semester, which he had just paid. --JP