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)