Dewi hurt in hotel scuffle

JAKARTA (JP): Ratna Sari Dewi Soekarno, 60, widow of the country's first president, suffered a split lip during a dispute with a reporter at the Regent Hotel in Kuningan, South Jakarta, on Thursday evening, an official said.

Setiabudi Police chief Maj. Bambang Sutrisno told reporters that the Dewi fell to the hotel floor after attempting to grab the hair of Warsito Wahono, a senior reporter of Jakarta - What's on Program lifestyle magazine.

"The two were first involved in a heated verbal argument over a story about Dewi written by the reporter in the magazine before she became upset and tried to grab Warsito's hair," Bambang said.

The incident happened in front of a crowd of visitors attending a painting and photography exhibition being held in the hotel's foyer.

While hotel staff and police rushed Dewi to Jakarta Hospital, Warsito was brought by the police to nearby Setiabudi police station for questioning.

According to Warsito, Dewi was upset with the story he wrote about moments during and after the death of president Sukarno.

He insisted that Dewi fell on the floor on her own.

Dewi stunned the country when she appeared half-naked in a book entitled Madame d Syuga.

In 1992, Dewi was accused by a New York socialite of attacking her with a champagne glass at an Aspen dinner party. Dewi denied it, saying she only grabbed the woman by the arm when the champagne glass broke. (ylt/bsr)