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