Hegel only wants to play soccer after release

Hegel only wants to play soccer after release

Multa Fidrus, The Jakarta Post, Tangerang

Life will never be the same again for Muhamad Hegel Muthahhari,
8, days after he was freed from his alleged kidnappers. With
people focused on a spree of kidnappings, allegedly involving the
Saputra brothers, the copycat kidnapping of Hegel quickly caught
society's attention.

Even after he returned home safe and sound on Friday, public
attention remained. Requests for interviews on television, radio
and printed media have occasionally upset him.

"Five new computer discs for one question," he demanded of his
mother, Sri Hartati, 36, referring to his hobby of playing
computer games.

The mother nodded. "As long as you answer their questions,"
she said, pointing to a group of journalists interested in
hearing the little boy's story.

Even his older sister, Meta Riskia Anisa, 10, teased him,
"Now, you're a star. Everybody wants to interview you. You are on
TV, radio and newspapers."

"I wasn't afraid (while being abducted). Why should I be? If
they kidnapped me again, I'll punch them a hundred times," the
boy, clad in red shirt and short pants, said on Sunday after
doing a TV interview.

His mother replied, "Says who? Now you ask me to go with you
to the bathroom."

Sri said that Hegel, who was abducted on July 30, was still
afraid of some strangers although he was as cheerful as before
the abduction.

"However, we will be more careful about watching our kids.
Starting tomorrow (Monday), I will personally take him to school
and pick him up. I don't want to lose him for a second time..."
she said, without if it would get in the way of her work at a
private company in Jakarta.

Meirizal Zulkarnaen, 40, the boy's father, said that he
thanked God that the kidnappers treated his son well during the
abduction.

"Hegel looks fine now... There's no sign that he was
kidnapped. He doesn't seem to be suffering any depression," he
said.

Hegel was lucky. Victims of the Saputra kidnappings were
brutally raped and killed while another two were freed although
it was not clear if the alleged kidnappers harmed them. The gang
remains at large, and are still holding two more children.

Serpong police chief Adj. Comr. Kostbar said that the police
were still hunting down two more suspects identified only as
Sofyan and Ade.

Police had earlier arrested the alleged mastermind of the
kidnapping, Taher Lestaluhu, in Ambon, Maluku, on Saturday. Two
other suspects, Jantra and M. Soleh, were arrested in Sawangan
and Bekasi respectively on Saturday morning.

A day earlier, police caught Doni Wibisono, who was assigned
to care for Hegel, at the Hotel Horison in Ancol, North Jakarta,
and Taher's wife Nurul Lestaluhu in Muara Baru, North Jakarta.

It was obvious that Hegel missed Katty, his kitten, and
soccer. During the interview, he held Katty and sometimes he took
a soccer ball and started to kicked against the wall.

"I can't play soccer now... I can only kick the ball in the
front yard," said the fan of Real Madrid's new star David
Beckham.

Hegel recalled that the kidnappers bought him three pairs of
soccer team uniforms. He was also given a gamewatch and a yoyo.

With police continuing their investigation, Hegel also
continues his life. After all the media attention, the boy simply
hopes that he will be allowed to play soccer with his friends.