Theo: Media exaggerated violent incident at JIS

Theo: Media exaggerated violent incident at JIS

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) chairman Theo Toemion
clarified on Sunday his involvement in a recent incident at the
Jakarta International School (JIS), which he said had been
exaggerated by the media.

Theo admitted, however, that he was unable to control his
emotions, although he denied punching an expatriate woman or
punching a teenage referee that resulted in a broken nose during
the April 17 incident that marred a basketball game for kids.

"I was emotional. I apologized and I should not have done
that," he told The Jakarta Post while showing a video tape of the
game he shot himself.

There is no footage of the incident, which Theo said was
sparked by discriminatory treatment toward his seven-year-old son
Daniel, a first-year elementary student who was playing for the
second-year students team, the Lakers, who were facing the
Mavericks.

The black and white video tape recording shows Daniel, wearing
jersey No. 35, come out of the bench in the second and fourth
quarters, during which he ran mostly without the ball.

Daniel was seen committing a foul once after a fight for the
ball in the fourth quarter, when his team was coming from behind
to take a 6-4 lead.

Theo said his son was given marching orders after Maverick
team coordinator Michelle Mabee intervened. Her son was playing
for the Mavericks.

The recording shows Theo's wife apparently involved in an
argument with Mabee, which ended up with the latter turning back
to her squad. The game was suspended when the quarrel involving
non-players took place.

Theo said that after hearing his wife's account of the
exchange with Mabee, he himself came to her to seek an
explanation for Daniel's removal.

"She avoided me by saying there was no problem. I chased her
to get her explanation," Theo said. Several people held him back
and tried to stop him, but he resisted, according to him.

Theo said he was also offended by rude remarks made by Mabee
and several expatriates.

When asked why he ran after Mabee, instead of the referee,
Theo said he just could not let her intervene in the game.

"If I had not acted explosively, who would be the next victim?
It was just a children's game," Theo said, adding that it was
Mabee who suggested that Daniel be included in the team for the
match.

Local media had reported that Theo threw chairs and attacked
the 14-year-old referee and several other expatriates after his
son was fouled out for rough play.

Theo refused to talk about the alleged violence on Sunday,
saying he was very irritated by the media reports on the
incident.

"I did slap the referee in the face, but nobody broke a nose,"
he said.

JIS headmaster Niall Nelson said in a written statement that
several people were struck, including one person who suffered a
broken nose and another who required stitches for a head injury.

"If anybody wants to report it to the police, please do so. We
will explain what actually happened," Theo said.

He added that following the game, his son stopped playing
basketball, his favorite sport.

"Several Americans and other friends kept calling my wife to
encourage Daniel to keep playing basketball," he said. (004)