Students Participate In Demonstrations, South Kalimantan Police Chief: We Take Firm Action Against Those Who Use School Children

illustration (Photo: Irfan Meidianto / VOI)

JAKARTA - South Kalimantan Police Chief Inspector General Nico Afinta emphasized that involving school children or students in demonstrations violated the rules. One of them is related to a demonstration against the Job Creation Law, so that his party will take firm action.

"If there are parties who take advantage of school children to participate in demonstrations, take firm action according to the applicable law because it is clearly not justified," said Nico in Banjarmasin, as reported by Antara , Thursday, October 15.

According to Nico, a number of rules clearly prohibit students, especially the category of minors from participating in demonstrations. Among them are Law Number 35 of 2014 concerning Child Protection to the Circular of the Minister of Education and Culture Number 9 of 2019 concerning Prevention of the Involvement of Students in Demonstrations with Potential Violence.

For this reason, Nico ensures that he will not tolerate anyone who tries to move school children in the action against the Omnibus Law of the Job Creation Act (Ciptaker) in front of the South Kalimantan DPRD today.

He hopes that parents and teachers can provide understanding to students that the mass movement is not currently the time to be carried out by students because it is still in the category of children and is prone to be used by irresponsible people.

"We TNI-Polri are ready to escort and secure the action of conveying the aspirations of younger students as long as it does not violate the rule of law. Teachers and parents are expected to be able to supervise their children so that they do not get involved in demonstrations," said the two-star general accompanied by Danrem 101 / Antasari Brigadier General TNI. Firmansyah.

Meanwhile, the Head of the Education and Culture Office of South Kalimantan Province, Muhammad Yusuf Effendi, has also issued a Circular on the Prohibition of Student Involvement in Demonstrations with Potential Violence.

Yusuf asked the principal and teachers to take preventive measures. The school must ensure that students are not involved in demonstrations that have the potential for violence, chaos and destruction. For students involved, they will be given sanctions according to the school rules.