Government vows to come down hard on pornography<\/p>\n
Muninggar Sri Saraswati, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
After hearing a report about group masturbation among elementary
\nschool students, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said the
\ngovernment would soon take extreme steps to stamp out
\npornography.<\/p>\n
\"It (pornography) has reached intolerable levels. Do
\neverything in your power to stamp out this problem,\" the
\nPresident was quoted as saying by State Minister for Youth and
\nSports Affairs Adhyaksa Dault after a meeting at the Presidential
\nOffice on Monday.<\/p>\n
Adhyaksa and State Minister for Women's Empowerment Meutia
\nHatta met with the President to report on plans by their two
\noffices to sign a memorandum of understanding on the eradication
\nof pornography next month.<\/p>\n
They said they were also seeking a commitment from Susilo to
\nfight pornography, which they said was damaging the morals of the
\nnation.<\/p>\n
Several months ago, Susilo complained about bare navels being
\nshown on television. However, his complaint met with more
\nridicule than outrage.<\/p>\n
During the meeting, Adhyaksa told the President about a group
\nof elementary school students found masturbating together.<\/p>\n
The minister put the blame on pirated hard-core pornographic
\nVCDs, which are cheap and readily found in most markets.<\/p>\n
\"After hearing the report, President Yudhoyono looked unhappy.
\nHe said that while physical damage could be repaired over time,
\nmoral damage could cause the loss of a generation,\" Meutia said.<\/p>\n
The President said on Thursday the country's moral crisis was
\none of the main impediments to rooting out corruption.<\/p>\n
Adhyaksa said the offices of the two state ministers would set
\nup a joint team to deal with pornography.<\/p>\n
\"This problem must be comprehensively dealt with,\" the
\nminister said.<\/p>\n
This means the police and other institutions such as the
\nMinistry of Communications and Information will be represented on
\nthe joint team.<\/p>\n
Adhyaksa said the police had the authority to conduct
\noperations against the producers, distributors, sellers and
\npurchasers of pornographic VCDs. Both Adhyaksa and Meutia agreed
\nthe Ministry of Communications and Information should be
\nrepresented on the team because pornography involves both the
\nprint and electronic media.<\/p>\n
Separately, Muslimat Nahdlatul Ulama, the women's wing of the
\ncountry's largest Islamic organization, welcomed the President's
\nstance against pornography, but said pornography had nothing to
\ndo with moral or social issues, Antara reported.<\/p>\n
\"We are pleased with President Yudhoyono's stance. However, it
\n(pornography) is not moral or social problem ... it is about
\ncapitalism and the entertainment industry,\" said Khofifah Indar
\nParawansa, the chairwoman of Muslimat and a former state minister
\nfor women's empowerment.<\/p>\n
The government has been working on a controversial \"anti-
\npornography\" bill since last year. The bill has been criticized
\nas repressive and meddling in private affairs.<\/p>",
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