Grabbing beards is dangerous, too

Grabbing beards is dangerous, too

JAKARTA (JP): The secretary of the Yogyakarta branch of the
Association of Young Indonesian Entrepreneurs is facing 21 days
imprisonment for threatening to cut off the beard of the
organization's chairman during a public quarrel.

In addition to the three-week jail term sought, state
prosecutors have asked the Yogyakarta court to order the
defendant to pay the plaintiff Rp 1,000 (43 U.S. cents) in costs.

The secretary, identified only by the initials Y.O., is
accused of using violence and making a threat, Antara reported
yesterday.

During a heated argument in the course of a leadership meeting
in December 1994, Y.O. allegedly jostled chairman Soemadi Martono
Wonohito and then grabbed his beard.

"Watch out, I'll cut off your beard... I will get you and you
know you can't get away from me," Y.O. told Soemadi, as quoted by
Prosecutor R. Widosuyatno. (pan)