Kicking cops in public event to 'test their ability', Indonesian mayor given negative comments by netizens

The police chief: "they're happy."

Last Wednesday, several new officials are appointed by Mayor Ahyar Abduh of Mataram, West Nusa Tenggara, to the city’s Public Order Agency (Satpol PP).

In the appointment ceremony, which is a public event, Satpol PP officers lined up and Mayor Abduh kicked them in their chests one by one. The moment has been captured and went viral on the internet.

Some may think it's a politic show but the moves of the mayor were real and he is famous for his skillful martial arts.

Another video was taken last year also showed Abduh had done the same thing to the police officers.

"Good thing his pants didn’t rip. [He showed] the mentality of thugs. If he wanted to show mental and physical strength, he should’ve shown it with his work and assertiveness. Not by beating up people. If only the Satpol PP officers could give some back," wrote one commenter on the video.

Even with reasonable explanations, it inevitably drew online criticisms, saying the act is unbecoming of a high ranking politician.

Mataram Satpol PP Chief Bayu Pancapati said that for Ahyar, "Not only my subordinates, but even I was tested by the mayor. It’s normal for him to do that, to test our strengths. Even I have often had my physique and self-defense skills tested by the mayor. It’s not because the mayor is angry, it’s normal, the Satpol PP officers are actually happy,"