Amidst Criticism, UNAS Continues to Suspend Student Activities

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Universitas Nasional (UNAS) in South Jakarta said it would not revoke the decision to suspend all students' activities.

The decision was made two weeks ago after the university found 8.6 kilograms of marijuana within the campus compound.

"Student activities are suspended for a month," said UNAS' attorney Ali Asgar yesterday.

Activities in the campus such as senate and other units will go back to normal in midst of September, said Ali. Academic activities in the campus are set to begin on September 8.

There had not been many students around the campus when the campus authority found the marijuana. It was found in places where student activities were often done, such as in several senate rooms.

The suspension of the student activities was aimed at sterilizing the campus from drugs. "Student activities have often become the gate of drugs entering the campus," Ali said.

In the meantime, the suspension was met with criticism from the Inspector General of the Ministry of Education and Culture Haryono Usman, who said the move was like 'burning a house to catch a mouse.'

"They just need to find the mouse," he said, adding that if all student activities were suspended, the students will be feared to find other activities outside the campus. And that is worrying, said minister Haryono.

M. ANDI PERDANA