Blok M area empty of street singers

JAKARTA (JP): The Blok M bus terminal in South Jakarta has been empty of street singers after a student was murdered last week.

A group of singers stabbed to death a student of a private technical school and injured two others on April 24.

Junaedi Hamzaris, 16, a student from the nearby PGRI aviation technical high school, died and his two friends, Toto Sulistiono, 18, and Purba Hismidaulika, 17, suffered head injuries.

They were engaged in a brawl with street singers on Jl. Hasanudin near the terminal.

Police arrested two street singers, identified as Imam Bonjol and Suroso, a few hours after the incident. The police are still searching for four other singers believed to be involved.

About 25 street singers usually hang around in the underground shelter or in the bus terminal.

Izur Chaidir, a sock trader in the shelter, said yesterday at least 50 students from the aviation technical school had "patrolled" the area every night since the attack.

"Maybe the students want to take revenge against the street singers. But no single singer has dared to operate here after the incident," Izur said.

He said only a few singers were seen at the terminal but they did not carry their guitars.

"They were probably just watching the situation here," he said.

Slamet Supriadi, the terminal's security guard, also said singers were scarce.

He said police had raided the terminal twice after the incident but they did not find any singers.

Last Thursday's incident started when a group of the technical high school students provoked one of the street singers.

Witnesses said the street singers were enraged and attacked the students. Some of the students escaped when they saw they were outnumbered, leaving Junaedi, Toto and Purba at the scene.

The singers then attacked the three students. One of them stabbed Junaedi in the chest while the others beat Toto and Purba.

The street singers escaped when they saw Junaedi lying on the ground. Police were alerted to the scene by a resident.

Junaedi who lived on Jl. Masjid An'nur, in Kebayoran Lama, South Jakarta, died on the way to the hospital.

Rumors said the street singers often extorted money from students.

Slamet and Izur said to their knowledge the singers rarely disturbed passersby. (jun)