Ragunan Zoo management stated that news about free admission to the South Jakarta zoo from June 20 to 24 was false.
"Yes, it's a hoax," Ragunan zoo spokesperson Wahyudi said as quoted by kompas.com on Wednesday.
"We hereby inform the public/visitors that the news about free admission to Ragunan Zoo from June 20 to 24, 2018 is a hoax. Regular admission fees will still apply," the zoo's official Twitter account, @ragunanzoo, tweeted on Tuesday.
Previously, a text message informing people of Jakarta Tersenyum (Smiling Jakarta) program on June 22, the day of the city's anniversary, went viral, informing people that the Jakarta administration would provide free entry to Ancol Dreamland Park, Taman Mini Indonesia Indah, the National Monument and Ragunan Zoo. Transjakarta bus services were also said to provide free rides.
Head of Jakarta Communications, Information and Statistics Agency Dian Ekowati, whose title was attached in the message, denied involvement in the announcement.
"It's a copy-and-paste message from a 2012 Pos Kota news article," Dian said.
Dian said she had made sure that there would be no free services as mentioned in the text message on the Jakarta anniversary. She added that the chain message was a hoax propagated by an irresponsible party. (rfa)
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