Hundreds of students from a private high school in East Jakarta run by one of the country's largest Muslim organizations demanded the resignation of their principal on Monday.

Armed with banners, the students protested at Muhammadiyah 4 high school against Susilo Wardoyo, whom they accused of acting "arrogantly" and handing out arbitrary punishments to school employees.

Protest leader Angga Dimas, head of the East Jakarta Muhammadiyah Students Association, said they had four demands.

The first was for school employees transferred elsewhere by Susilo to be reinstated. They also asked the administration to revoke the recent "unilateral dismissal" of three teachers.

Angga said the students wanted the Jakarta chapter of Muhammadiyah, the second-largest Muslim organization in the country, to annul the appointment of Susilo to the school.

Their final demand was for the school to provide the best possible education for students.

Dozens of officers from the Kramat Jati Police were deployed to watch over the rally, which proceeded peacefully.

Angga said students would continue the protests until their demands were met, despite what he called intimidation from school officials.

Some students, he said, had been threatened with expulsion if they took part in the protest. He also claimed that a member of Muhammadiyah's Kramat Jati chapter had brought a gun to the school to scare students.

"We will continue to protest until the principal is dismissed," Angga said. "If he is not, we will report this case to the leadership of Muhammadiyah so that it can be followed up on."

He said the student association would provide counseling and assistance for those taking part in the protests. Susilo declined to speak to journalists on Monday.

A school employees said the protest was held without a permit, but there was little staff members could do to stop it. "They should have been taking exams today, but they held a rally," said Guntur, a staff member. (Berita Jakarta)