Elderly man refuses to descend from tower<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Residents of the Gang Buncit V slum area in
\nSouth Jakarta on Tuesday attempted to convince a 60-year-old man
\nto climb down from a high-voltage electricity tower.<\/p>\n
The residents said Muhammad Sidik, who according to his wife
\nis mentally ill, climbed to the top of the 30-meter-high tower on
\nMonday evening.<\/p>\n
A number of police officers deployed to rescue Sidik, who was
\ntreated at the Grogol Mental Institution in West Jakarta for one
\nand a half months in early 1998, were told by the man to leave
\nthe area or he would commit suicide.<\/p>\n
\"Go, go, go ... or I'll kill myself,\" Sidik shouted repeatedly
\nto the officers from his perch on the tower's crossarm.<\/p>\n
As of late afternoon on Tuesday, Sidik refused to climb down
\nfrom the tower, located near Jl. Mampang Prapatan VII.<\/p>\n
His family, neighbors and police officers expressed concern
\nover Sidik's safety and health, saying the man had not had any
\nfood or water since climbing to the top of the tower on Monday.<\/p>\n
His wife, Mulyati, 57, said Sidik had last eaten at about 8:30
\np.m. on Monday, shortly before he climbed to the top of the
\ntower.<\/p>\n
\"He has never done this before. He just climbed so quickly ...
\nlike an orangutan. When our eldest child wanted to climb up to
\nget him down, he started yelling at our child,\" she said.<\/p>\n
The couple have seven children. \"But two of them died from
\nillnesses when my husband was being treated for his mental
\ndisturbances,\" Mulyati said.<\/p>\n
The housewife said her, her husband and their children were
\nsupported by Sidik's father, Abdurrochim, 81, who leases a number
\nof rooms in his home, because Sidik was unable to support his
\nfamily.<\/p>\n
Mulyati said her husband began to shown signs of mental
\nillness about two years ago when he was deterred by his brothers
\nand relatives from performing the haj pilgrimage.<\/p>\n
Shortly afterward, Sidik quit his job as an ojek (motorcycle
\ntaxi) driver.<\/p>\n
After being treated at the Grogol institution in February
\n1998, he was discharged by the doctors, who said he was fine,
\nMulyati said.(ylt)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/elderly-man-refuses-to-descend-from-tower-1447893297",
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