Comedian charged with firing gun
Evi Mariani, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta
Edy Supono, a comedian known by his stage name Parto, was detained on Tuesday at Setiabudi Police station for discharging a firearm into the air on Saturday at Planet Hollywood, South Jakarta, damaging the ceiling of the restaurant -- apparently to avoid answering a probing question from reporters.
Parto was charged with violating Article 1 of Law No. 12/1951 on state of emergency, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years' imprisonment.
Jakarta Police chief Insp. Gen. Firman Gani said on Monday he had recommended that the National Police revoke Parto's gun license for his Czechoslovakian-made BRNO 9 millimeter CZ83.
"The National Police has the authority to revoke the firearms license. I can only give a recommendation," he said.
Police said earlier that civilians were only permitted to own registered firearms smaller than a .32 caliber, or 7.65 mm. Higher caliber firearms are licensed only to police and military personnel.
Last year, about 800 civilians were registered in the city as gun owners, while registered civilian firearms owners number 9,702 nationwide.
Gun owners must undergo an annual assessment of their suitability to possess a firearm, including target shooting and a psychiatric test.
Among those who own firearms are lawyers, bank directors and ministerial or high-ranking administrative officials, whose occupations are deemed risky.
When applying for his gun license, Parto registered as a director of his company.
In a separate case of a civilian discharging a firearm, police did not detain the suspect: Cipto Jiara Ponan, 29, was reported for firing six bullets into a Toyota Kijang minivan that had hit his Porsche Cayenne Turbo on Aug. 10 in Pademangan, North Jakarta.
Police said Cipto was driving on the toll road when the Kijang, driven by Mulyadi, hit his car, denting the bumper.
Cipto became angry when Mulyadi ignored his gestures to stop, and fired three bullets into the right side of the Kijang, two others in the back of the car and the last into the left rear tire.
The two pulled over and began to quarrel, when a highway patrol passed and took them to Pademangan Police station.
Pademangan Police, however, released Cipto without charging him.