Bogus newsmen seek Idul Fitri bonuses

Bogus newsmen seek Idul Fitri bonuses

SEMARANG: A government official claimed on Thursday that an
increasing number of bogus journalists visited many government
offices in Semarang, asking officials to pay then Idul Fitri
bonuses.

The journalists normally came in groups, with each group
consisting of between five and six journalists. At first, they
would pretend to be seeking confirmation of a story concerning
either the Semarang municipal or Central Java provincial
administration, but at the end of the interview they would always
end up asking the officials for money.

They had press cards, but their publications were normally
little known, said Achyani, a spokesman for the Semarang
municipal administration. -- JP