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