No jugs in Jakarta
Following the news that Playboy has signed a deal to produce an Indonesian edition of the magazine and a series of demonstrations, the parliament in Jakarta is expected to pass a new anti-pornography bill by the middle of this year.
Not everyone is in agreement, however, and the proposed bill has come up against strong opposition.
Husna Mulya, a women’s rights activist, said the anti-pornography law had been hijacked by groups pushing a hardline conservative agenda.
“The people behind this are using religious values to make their argument, especially Muslim groups. It is not stated in the bill, but the standard being used is the standard of Sharia law.
Now there’s a surprise.
The artistic lobby is up in arms as well. The draft bill would make it illegal to record anything which portrays erotic dancing, or kissing on the lips. It would mean ground-breaking Indonesian films such as Arisan would be banned.
According to Joko Anwar, the writer of Arisan:
“We are not going to make some very graphic sexual scenes because we know that it wouldn’t be accepted by an Indonesian audience.
“We already have that filter ourselves so I don’t think it needs to be put into law. It’s not democracy. It’s not about pornography, it’s your freedom to express yourself.”
The bill will almose certainly be passed, but how it will be interpreted and enforced by a notoriously corrupt legal system is a whole new question.
Sunday 12 Feb 2006 | Paul | Indonesia
