Cop in hot water over sexual harassment

MAKASSAR, South Sulawesi: Dozens of woman journalists and activists held a protest on Saturday in Makassar, demanding that a senior police officer punish a subordinate for alleged sexual harassment.

The incident happened on Thursday when four woman journalists went to South Sulawesi provincial police headquarters to attend a press conference concerning recent violence in Mamasa regency, West Sulawesi. As the four journalists entered police headquarters, they were admonished by a certain police officer for failing to report their presence at a post near an entrance gate. The journalists apologized, but another police officer at the post, First. Brig. Mustari, continued to hurl abuse at them.

The journalists protested the police officer's attitude, but were ignored. The officer then made an obscene gesture by grasping his own genitals front of the women. The journalists later reported the case to chief of South Sulawesi provincial police Insp. Gen. Saleh Saaf for follow up.

The two-star police general promised he would investigate the matter and take stern measures against the delinquent police officer, in the event he was found guilty. -- JP