Akbar snubbed by press after scuffle

Akbar snubbed by press after scuffle

MANADO, North Sulawesi: Local reporters have decided to band
together and boycott all of Golkar Party chairman Akbar
Tandjung's activities and media events during his three-day visit
to the province after some unnecessary roughness by Golkar
heavies on Thursday.

As soon as Akbar touched down at Sam Ratulangi airport at 3
p.m. local time (2 p.m. Jakarta time), a mob from Golkar's
private security wing zealously fended the press off the House of
Representatives speaker.

Two local reporters -- Rahmadian Polontalo of Posko Manado
daily and Hesty Sondakh of TV Manado -- suffered minor injuries
during the fray.

Local reporters agreed that, as a group, they would only
report on that incident and boycott the rest of Akbar's trip to
the province. -- JP