Censor board told to review `True Lies'

JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Information Harmoko has asked the Film Censorship Board (BSF) to review its decision to release the action-comedy film True Lies starring Arnold Schwarzenegger in view of an appeal by Moslem leaders to stop its screening.

"I leave the matter entirely to the BSF because we have to respect the board as an institution," Harmoko, whose portfolio includes supervising the board, was quoted by the Antara news agency as saying yesterday.

He added that the board plans to hold a plenary meeting to discuss the appeal from the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI). "The board obviously has to respect suggestions from outside."

The MUI on Saturday appealed to the authorities to stop the screening of the film because of the public controversy it has generated, particularly among Moslem leaders.

The council, in a statement issued after a plenary meeting to discuss the film, refrained from stating that the film was an insult to Islam as suggested by a number of Moslem leaders.

The film tells about an American hero, played by Schwarzenegger, foiling an attempt by a Middle East terrorist group called Crimson Jihad to discredit the United States. Jihad is Arabic for a true fighter, a term often used to describe those who fight for the Moslem cause.

A number of ulemas, including one from MUI who also sits on the censorship board, have said that the film does not denigrate Islam.

The 45-member censorship board, which comprises religious leaders, government officials and public figures, earlier this year banned the screening of the Oscar winning film Schindler's List amidst objections from some Moslem leaders who viewed it as Zionist propaganda. The board said that the decision to ban the film was because it contained too much violence and nudity.

Minister of Religious Affairs Tarmizi Taher meanwhile said that the controversy over the film showed the need to expand the participation of ulemas in the censorship board.

"If only two ulemas are involved in censoring a film, obviously it is not enough. There ought to be five representatives from religious organizations to screen a film," Tarmizi was quoted by the Antara news agency as saying yesterday.

The MUI in its statement on Saturday also said that it was reviewing its participation in the censorship board in view of the controversy over True Lies. Observers took this to mean that the two ulemas now sitting on the board would be replaced.

Harmoko, according to Antara, suggested that MUI's plan to review its participation is incorporated with the government's present proposal to revamp the board into an institute. (emb)