'August mob' rocks Ambon<\/p>\n
AMBON, Maluku (JP): Bank employees across the city were
\ndumbfounded Monday when they opened their doors only to find huge
\ncrowds fighting their way in to have bank notes with serial
\nnumbers ending in 23 and 73 exchanged for 10 times the nominal
\nvalue.<\/p>\n
Police were called in anticipation of an incident. The crowds
\nin front of Bank Rakyat Indonesia and Bank Central Asia were so
\nhuge that they triggered heavy traffic jams during the morning
\nrush hour.<\/p>\n
The people dispersed peacefully only after the banks announced
\nthat the news about the "lucky" bank notes was untrue.<\/p>\n
Bank officials apparently knew only too well how not to
\ndisappoint people. They told the booing crowds they were welcomed
\nto exchange their worn out banknotes for brand new ones.<\/p>\n
Antara reported yesterday that the bizarre news was broadcast
\nlast weekend by a private TV station. The lies swept through the
\nmarkets and coffee stalls on the city's streets.<\/p>\n
It turned out that the numbers were related to the year the
\nlate First Lady Tien Soeharto was born, 1923, and the age she
\ndied, 73.<\/p>\n
"We spent the whole day answering telephone enquiries about
\nthe rumors," said Susanto Budiatmoko, deputy chief of the local
\nbranch of the central bank, Bank Indonesia. (pan)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/august-mob-rocks-ambon-1447893297",
"image": ""
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