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)