Govt cannot ban pageant contest

Govt cannot ban pageant contest

YOGYAKARTA: Defying pressure from Muslim hard-liners and
ulemas, the government said on Saturday it would not ban
Indonesian citizens from joining international pageant contests.

Minister for Information and Communication Sofyan Djalil said
the positive contribution of such contests was the promotion of
the country in international forums, while the negative side of
it was the fact that a part of the nation did not understand the
purpose of the event, which he said did not just emphasize
physical beauty.

Sofyan was responding to protests from the Indonesian Ulema
Council and the Islam Defenders Front against the Putri Indonesia
Foundation for sending Miss Indonesia Artika Sari Dewi to the
Miss Universe competition now underway in Bangkok.

"If this contest is categorized as pornography, I absolutely
disagree with the event. But, does it really go into that
direction?" Sofyan said. -- Antara

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Scene-Akbar-survey
Akbar institute completes survey
JP/4/4Akbar

Akbar institute completes survey

JAKARTA: The Akbar Tandjung Institute is set to unveil the
results of a survey on the upcoming local leadership elections --
its first project following its establishment early this month.

Institute chairman Akbar Tandjung told The Jakarta Post
recently that the survey, which had been conducted jointly with
the Polling Centre, was aimed at assessing the public's
preparedness for the direct local leadership elections, produce
forecasts on the likely results of the elections, and assess
their likely contribution to the development of democracy in the
regions.

He said the institute's first project reflected the fact that
he and his fellow politicians were serious about the institute,
and determined to help improve political education among members
of the public and develop democracy in the country.

Akbar said that at only two weeks old the institute still had
a limited number of staff, but those staff it had, including
himself, made up a strong team that was capable of realizing the
institute's vision and mission, and of recruiting social and
political scientists, analysts and practitioners to carry out its
programs. -- JP