Upset orangutan upsets campaign

PURWOKERTO, Central Java: A stressed orangutan sporting an Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) cap threw a campaign event into disarray here over the weekend.

Thousands of the party's supporters were whiling away the afternoon dancing to dangdut music on a soccer field when the animal darted across the field and climbed up a tree, proceeding to shake the electrical wires running through it.

Police came to the scene when the orangutan's owner, Ardjo, 40, was unable to recapture the animal. Ardjo said the orangutan was not used to the loud music and large crowd.

Banyumas Police chief Lt. Col. Jhonny H. Hutauruk, who fielded 20 officers to handle the frightened primate, threatened to shoot the animal with a tranquilizer dart unless Ardjo could recapture his pet in 30 minutes.

Fortunately, no shooting took place once the orangutan climbed down from the tree when Ardjo offered it two bananas.

However, its hijinks caused an end to the festivities when most of the supporters left the field early. (45)