Indonesian Vice-President Resigns Over Invalid Certificate; State Sets Up Night Course for Officials

The Vice-President of Indonesia has resigned, according to an aide, after a secondary school certificate was deemed invalid. Political uncertainty has increased. The certificate's had been there all along.

Palace sources announced an immediate reform: all officials' diplomas will now be checked by a new office, with its own headquarters, 400 staff and a response time of eleven years.

An aide who asked not to be identified explained the logic. "For decades we trusted the paper. Now the paper has failed, and we trust a second paper that certifies the first."

The office will be funded by a certificate verification fee, paid by those who hold one. Those who never had one are exempt.

A student from Jakarta said he was surprised that secondary school was good for anything. The Government promised to look into the matter in a committee, whose members will present their respective diplomas at the end."