Asia-Pacific News
Indonesian cop fired for pursuing singing career
Dec 7, 2011, 10:07 GMT
Jakarta - An Indonesian policeman who rose to fame after a video showing him lip-syncing to a Bollywood song went viral has been fired after he failed to show up for work for two months, police said Wednesday.
Norman Kamaru became an instant sensation this year after a video in which he sang and danced to the famous Bollywood tune Chaiyya Chaiyya was posted on the YouTube website.
After landing record and film deals worth 5 billion rupiah (550,000 dollars), he tendered his resignation as a member of the anti-riot police unit Mobile Brigade in Gorontalo province.
But instead of granting him early retirement, the police fired him, said a national police spokesman, Saud Usman.
'He was discharged dishonourably because he failed to show up for work for two months,' Usman said.
Initially the police force threatened to punish Kamaru after the video became popular, saying his action was unethical, but its stance softened following a public outcry.
The police even invited him to Jakarta to meet the national chief.
'I accepted the dismissal wholeheartedly,' Kamaru said on the Inilah.com entertainment news website.
'I don't feel bad at all because I had always wanted to quit but they rejected my resignation,' he added.
COMMENT
blog comments powered by DisqusLatest Headlines in Asia-Pacific
- 1. Chinese dissidents hail late democracy activist Fang Lizhi
- 2. China "worried" over planned North Korea rocket launch
- 3. Myanmar's opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi meets Karen rebels
- 4. Chinese schoolboy sells kidney to buy iPad, iPhone
- 5. Myanmar president invites Karen rebels to form party
Older Talkback
