A small-time Youtuber from Kendal Regency in Central Java named Yusminardi AKA Iyus Sinting has been widely talked about in the last few days — not because of his content, but for a viral video that shows him kicking and shouting at his own grandfather.
In the 30-second video, the 22-year-old Iyus was seen kicking and hitting his grandfather, 65-year-old Wasidi, while the latter was on the floor and pleading for mercy. The incident allegedly occurred on Sunday at their home in Kedungboto village, and it was recorded by Wasidi’s younger grandchild who’s currently in elementary school.
After the video went viral, local police questioned both Iyus and Wasidi. According to them, the dispute began after Wasidi relocated their fish from a damaged pond to a bathtub. Wasidi also said he fed the fishes with pellets in the tub, some of which got into Iyus’ mouth when he took a bath.
“I got uncomfortable. I moved the fish to another place, by why [did he] put them into the bathtub? I immediately regretted it, I’ve been living with Mbah (grandfather) for years, but I laid my hands on him, I regret it,” Iyus said yesterday, as quoted by Detik.
For his part, Wasidi defended his grandson and said he wasn’t hurt by the attack. Meanwhile, Iyus’ father, Imam Turmudzi, said that his son is not usually violent and that he may have been frustrated at being jobless since he returned from a four-year stint in Malaysia five months ago.
“There was no problem. Maybe because he’s been unemployed for too long. Last Monday, he actually started a new job,” Imam said.
Iyus’ Youtube and Instagram accounts, which mainly consist of vlogs, music remixes, and prank videos, have been swarmed by negative comments from outraged netizens. Ironically, Iyus still has a video on his Youtube account showing him apologizing to Wasidi during Eid — a customary practice in the Islamic holy day — this year.
While Imam tried to resolve the case in a kekeluargaan manner — an Indonesian expression for amicably coming to an agreement not to press charges for a crime — Kendal Police has named Iyus a suspect in the alleged abuse against his own grandfather. Iyus was charged with violating the Eradication of Domestic Abuse Law, which carries a potential sentence of up to five years in prison or a fine of IDR15 million (US$1,063).
Chief of Kendal Police’s Crime Investigation Unit Nanung Nugroho said that Iyus will soon be apprehended and that any attempt to resolve the matter won’t eliminate his charges in order to make an example out of him for the public.
“If the law isn’t enforced, we’re afraid that it can trigger more abuse cases,” Nanung said today, as quoted by Detik.
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