Students to be tested for drugs

JAKARTA (JP): The North Jakarta mayoralty will test all students attending senior high schools located near the former Kramat Tunggak red-light district for drugs by administering urine tests.

"We received reports from residents that the high schools were used for drug dealing," North Jakarta Mayor Subagyo said on Thursday.

The Kramat Tunggak red-light district was closed by the city administration on Dec. 8 after almost 30 years of operation. The area is now home to a number of alleged hoodlums.

Subagyo said his office would administer the first urine tests to students at SMUN 92 as a pilot project. He, however, did not say when the tests would be carried out.

"The mayoralty will also conduct tests in other high schools, especially those near the former Kramat Tunggak red-light district," he said.

The mayor said the urine tests would be expensive, costing some Rp 100,000 (US$14.30) per student.

"But we will be able to finance the tests somehow." (05)