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

;JP;RMS;CD; ANPAa..r.. 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