Pemalang bans toy hammers

Pemalang bans toy hammers

PEMALANG, Central Java: The local government has banned hammer-shaped blow up toys for fear that the toys may "introduce the symbol of communism" to children.

The socio-political department of the regency government issued the decree on the ban after the local security agency found evidence that the toys symbolize communism, which is in conflict with the state ideology Pancasila.

Communism is symbolized with a hammer and sickle.

Chief of the local socio-political affairs Swep H.S. told Antara yesterday that the hammer-shaped toys tell children of the evil of the outlawed Indonesian Communist Party.

There is an inscription on the toys which can be interpreted as an indirect way of telling children about communism, he said. (pan)