Anti-Inul protest held at TV stations

JAKARTA: More than a thousand people staged a rally on Tuesday at television stations SCTV and Trans TV on Jl. Gatot Subroto in Central Jakarta to protest their continued airings of performances by controversial dangdut singer Inul Daratista.

The protesters, mostly women from the Communication Forum for Anti-Pornography, criticized the television stations for airing Inul's performances, which they called "pornographic".

The protesters also demanded the government and the House of Representatives draft a bill to fight pornography.

At SCTV, the protesters met with the station's operational director, Alex Kumara, and public relations manager Budi Darmawan.

Inul rose to fame on her so-called "drilling" dance and has been in the headlines recently after being condemned by dangdut legend Rhoma Irama, who called Inul's dancing pornographic.

However, Rhoma's criticism moved many individuals and social organizations, including the National Commission for Women, to defend Inul and her right to express herself. --JP