REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA - The army confirmed that the man committing violence in a video that went viral through YouTube recently was its member. "That is true. The man is our member. Right now, his case is still being processed by the Jakarta Military Police. He will be given a sanction according to the regulation," army spokesman Brigadier General Pandji Sukho Hari Judho said on Wednesday.
He stated that the man was an army captain, identified by his initial of A, and he would certainly be punished. The video titled "Cowboy in Palmerah" has gone viral through YouTube and also been broadcast nationwide by national television stations.
The two-minute video clip uploaded by "UnpluggedTheTV" shows two men arguing in the busy Palmerah Selatan street, followed by the pistol-wielding army man hitting the motorcyclist several times.
Pandji said the pistol carried by Captain A was a toy gun or an airsoft gun. "We have the evidence. Still, if proven guilty he will be punished. Even though it was a mere toy gun, it has scared people," he noted.
Pandji said the incident on Monday afternoon was triggered by competition over a lane change and not because Captain A`s military car was bruised by the two-wheeler.
"It happened while Captain A was on the way to Soekarno-Hatta airport to pick up his mother who was suffering from a heart problem. On Jalan Gelora I, Tanah Abang, a motorcyclist who thought his lane had been taken, angrily stopped Captain A`s car with plate number 1394-00 and a military symbol. Captain A got out of the car and asked if there was any damage to his motorcycle. The motorcyclist then asked Captain A not to be arrogant as a military man," he explained the chronology of the incident.
Just when Captain A returned to his car after ensuring that no damage had been done, the motorcyclist kicked the car door. This made Captain A get out of the car again, with an airsoft gun and an iron bar.
Pandji deplored Captain A`s behaviour, saying that the army man should have controlled his temper. In that context, he appealed to all army members to be disciplined when driving cars and not to violate traffic regulations. "We must respect traffic police. The public must also follow traffic rules," Pandji said.
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