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Indonesian Child Dies After Reportedly Imitating Anime

Mutammimul Ula, a Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) member of Indonesia's parliament, has criticized the country's broadcasting regulatory agency for being too lax after a boy allegedly strangled himself while imitating a character from the Naruto anime. Ula called on the agency, which is known as the Komisi Penyiaran Indonesia (KPI or Indonesian Broadcasting Commission), to be more strict in dealing with various television programs. He specifically named Naruto, saying that it "contains violence and caused a boy to take his own life." He adds, "Many people still don't realize that comics are not necessarily for children. That very much depends on the substance."

The KPI's mandate includes setting the rules for content of all programs on broadcast and cable television. However, it has been reduced in recent years to a consultative body.

Source: Jakarta Post, An Ethereal Shard