Tito Sianipar/Eko Ari Wibowo, Jakarta – The Attorney General's Office (AGO) will ban a number of school books from the 2004 curriculum.

AGO is now analyzing the suitability of 22 school books with historical facts. "Since it is concerned with education, (history) books must be composed properly," said Muchtar Arifin, the Deputy Attorney General for Intelligence, at a press conference yesterday (10/2) in Jakarta.

According to Muchtar, AGO will study 22 school books of the 2004 curriculum ranging from elementary school through high school. The books include, three History Books for Junior High School, Class IX; National and General History Book 3A for Senior High School, Class III, Social Sciences; and a History Book 3 for Class XII.

The examination of the books is based on the National Education Ministerial letter dated July 5th 2005. The letter contains a prohibition of history books of the 2004 curriculum and a notification of withdrawal of those books from circulation. "Because there are some facts that have not recorded the historical facts," said Muchtar.

Based on the letter, AGO will bring the investigation result to a clearing house, an inter-institutional internal research center. The forum includes AGO, the police department, State Intelligence Agency, Strategic Intelligence Agency, the Department of Religious Affairs and the Department of National Education.

The ban for not circulating and publishing the books will depend on the research of the internal forum. "Based on the forum, the Attorney General will consider whether or not to withdraw the books," said Muchtar.

In fact, according to Muchtar, the writers and the publishers may be charged with civil sanctions. They can be accused as disturbing public order. However, he said, so far none of those writers nor publishers were punished because of their published books.

AGO has banned the circulation of two books so far: an atlas which contains the picture of a flag with a morning star on it; and a book entitled I Found Truth in the Koran written by Maksud Simanungkalit. "Both books were evaluated as possibly disturbing public order and tranquility," said Muchtar.

Earlier, a historian at the Indonesian Institute of Science Asvi Warman Adam said that the 2006 national education curriculum covers history. In the curriculum, the facts which lie in the 2004 curriculum are no longer used. As a result, he said, people will get confused.

Meanwhile, the Department of National Education has argued that books with different curriculum exist by virtue of a resolution made by the history study team formed in 1998. Diah Herianti, the Head of Center for National Education Curriculum, said that the last revisions, the 2006 curriculum, are the adjustment to the competence standards of students' study. "After discussing matters concerning the September 30th incident, the team decided to use the existing version," he said.