Betawi group furious over death of friend

Betawi group furious over death of friend

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Dozens of members of the Betawi Brotherhood Forum (FBR) could not
conceal their anger when they collected the body of their
colleague Aji Mustofa from the Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital morgue
in Salemba, Central Jakarta, on Friday.

Mustofa died due to a loss of blood from deep cuts on both of
his wrists, injuries he sustained in a brawl at Pulomas
Apartments, East Jakarta, late on Wednesday.

"Mustofa was trying to stop the brawl, but the attackers were
savage. We won't ignore this incident. If the police cannot catch
his attackers, I won't accept responsibility if my members vent
their anger," forum leader Fadholi El Muhir was quoted as saying
by Detik.com.

Mustofa was rushed to the Islamic Hospital in Cempaka Putih in
the small hours of Wednesday.

The brawl started at a billiard hall in Kelapa Gading, North
Jakarta, on late Tuesday, when several residents of Pulomas
Apartments snatched a pool cue from an FBR member. One of them
later broke the cue and hit the FBR member when the latter tried
to get it back.

The FBR member later brought his friends to the apartments at
about 1 a.m., armed with wooden sticks and metal poles.

The targeted man apparently had expected retaliation as he and
dozens of his friends had armed themselves with sharp weapons.

Three FBR members: Mustofa, Tarmiji and Burhanuddin, were
injured. One of the rivals was reportedly injured.

Burhanuddin suffered a gash to the stomach while Tarmiji
suffered bruising to the head.

Pulogadung Police, who arrived at the scene at about 3 a.m.,
arrested two Pulomas residents identified as Ramlan and Anis.

East Jakarta Police personnel were deployed to guard the
apartment compound to anticipate further attacks.

One of the Pulomas residents, Harry Roboth, said that other
tenants of the apartment had been seriously concerned for their
safety after the brawl.

"We hope the brawl won't drag on," Harry said.

FBR is known in the city for their hostility toward the Urban
Poor Consortium, which strongly criticizes the city
administration's discriminatory policies against the poor.