Sutiyoso declares war on drug traffickers
JAKARTA (JP): Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso declared a war against drug traffickers on Wednesday after disclosing that elementary school pupils were increasingly being targeted by drug pushers.
Sutiyoso's tough words however may end up just that, amid allegations that military and police personnel could be behind some of the country's major drug syndicates.
"Those in the drug ring should be punished. This nation could be destroyed by drugs if they start selling them to elementary school pupils," the retired Army general said in an emotional tone of voice.
He called on law enforcement agencies to administer tougher punishments against drug traffickers.
Although drug trafficking carries the death penalty, the maximum sentence is rarely imposed.
Sutiyoso said he would summon education officials to clamp down against drug using students.
The administration planned a massive TV campaign to warn young people of the dangers of drugs, he said, adding that he had yet to solve the problem of funding the campaign.
He said he expected parents and teachers to play their part in preventing children and young people from falling into the drug trap.
"I'm very concerned. I always question my daughters whereabouts now because of this."
The head of the city's education and teaching agency, Masrul Nim, said on Monday that at least 20 pupils of an elementary school in Tanah Abang, Central Jakarta, had been found to be using barbiturate pills.
The children, aged between 10 and 12 years old, bought the pills from an unidentified woman.
Masrul said some of the children were even paid Rp 5,000 by the woman to try the pills, which, according to the children, she had described as "smart candies".
The same woman was believed to have operated at a junior high school in Cikini, Central Jakarta, said Masrul.
'Backing'
Separately, Minister of Justice/ State Secretary Muladi, while deploring the sales of drugs to children, said he did not rule out the possibility of military or police personnel being involved, or of providing "backing" to drug syndicates.
Commenting on the reported arrest of the son of Army Chief of Staff Gen. Subagyo H.S. during a drug raid in a Jakarta hotel this month, Muladi said success in handling the drug problem ultimately depended on the attitude of the security apparatus.
Muladi, speaking after meeting with a foundation dealing with drug and alcohol excesses, promised to bring the matter up in the next Cabinet meeting.
Subagyo's son, Army Second Lt. Agus Isrok, was reportedly arrested in a hotel on Aug. 8.
Police found Isrok and an accomplice with a bag containing 7,000 Ecstasy pills, four kilograms of shabu-shabu (crystal methamphetamine), marijuana, five grams of putauw (low-grade heroin) and Rp 2 million (US$259).
Police have denied the arrest of Subagyo's son, despite the fact that the arrest report, which was leaked to the press, stipulated the name and identity of the suspect.
The matter was handed over to the Army, and Agus' name had since been excised in subsequent police reports of the arrest.
When confronted by reporters on Tuesday, Subagyo refused to confirm or deny the arrest, saying he did not wish to turn the issue into a controversy. (jun)