President George W. Bush to Visit Free Islamic Boarding School
Friday, 10 November, 2006 | 13:53 WIB

TEMPO Interactive, Bogor: The United States President George W. Bush, who is to meet with President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono in Bogor on November 20, will visit a Pesantren (Islamic Boarding School) called Ashriyyah Nurul Iman in Waru Jaya Village, Parung.
Police intelligence in Bogor released the news yesterday (9/11). The police officer said, “The Police have visited the boarding school.”

When Tempo visited the free Islamic boarding school that has 10,031 students, an officer who refused to have his name revealed confirmed about the visit and the police officer’s information. However, Habib Sagaf son of Mahdi son of Syekh Abu Bakar, the boarding school head, when asked for confirmation only replied, “We haven’t received any official notice.”

He stressed that if President Bush wants to come, he will welcome him. In addition to Bush as a state guest who must be respected, he said, that by the President’s visit he has the chance to explain that his views about Islam.

“The Prophet Muhammad advised we must pay respect to guests, even if they are not of our religion,” he said.
United States Embassy spokesperson, Max Kwak, could confirm the visit plan. “We can’t give statements,” he said.

From observation at the location, there has not been any preparation at the lodging of 160 hectares . “If it’s not yet certain, then there is no preparation here,” said Sagaf.

According to the police officer, the information of Bush’s visit to the school has been heard by some of the residents. The indication is that the police officer has identified the plan of blocking the road . In response to that, Sagaf stressed there are some people who do not want to respect the state guest.

There has not been any explanation so far about why the Ashriyyah Nurul Iman Islamic Boarding School is the one to be visited by Bush. The school, founded in 1998, is unique. The students are underprivileged and abandoned children. All operational costs of the school, from junior high school through high school, is borne by Habib Sagaf.

The students also help Sagaf’s business in waste processing, the bread factory and agriculture. Sagaf said other sources of finance is aid from abroad such as Kuwait and Saudi Arabia.

Deffan Purnama and Yudha