Jackson still indisputable king of pop: Local fans

M. Taufiqurrahman and Armando Siahaan, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Devoted local fans rejoiced at the acquittal of singer Michael Jackson on child molestation charges, saying in unison that the criminal charges against the self-appointed king of pop were designed to sap his already-depleted coffers.

They added that although Jackson might have committed the offense in the past, in the current case he was convincingly not guilty of the accusations leveled against him.

"We have learned from the court proceedings that evidence against him has been exaggerated; this supports our conviction that he is not guilty," Olivia Naida, 28, an avowed Jackson fan told The Jakarta Post.

Olivia, who stopped listening to Jackson's post-Dangerous records, said that the singer could have committed the sexual perversion in the past, but it would not, in any way, diminish his contribution to the world of pop music.

"He created the bulk of his good music while at the peak of his career -- that is enough," said Olivia, who runs her own clothing company. She turned into a Jackson fan after listening to the singer's early records such as Thriller and Off the Wall.

Another fan said that although the singer had done crazy things like changing his skin color, living in a fantasy land and allegedly engaging in sexual activities with children, he remained the best performer to date.

"He knows how to produce perfect entertainment. He knows how to write good music. He was also a trend-setter in music. Long live Michael Jackson," David, 24, told the Post.

He said that although Jackson did not do much for kids these days, for those who grew up listening to his tunes, he was indeed the indisputable king of pop.

Dita Saraswati, a 20-year student who had listened to Jackson's songs from early childhood also shared the belief that the singer was innocent.

"The trial was set up by people who wanted to get money from him. After all, the trial was held in America, where the justice system ought to be flawless," she said.

However, there are those who beg to differ.

"The verdict is unbelievable. The acquittal is just another perfect example of the fact that having celebrity status means that someone could bend the law," Farry Ongko Widjaja, 20, told the Post.

Farry said the fact that there were two child molestation charges against Jackson was a proof that he had some serious problems.

"To me this is similar to the Indonesian court system. There is no certainty that a fair decision will be made; the power that the defendant is perceived to possess makes such a big difference," he said.

In the run-up to the verdict, Indosiar TV station organized a poll on its website, asking fans whether Jackson was guilty of all charges.

The poll found that 18.5 percent of respondents believed that Jackson was guilty of the child molestation charges, as against 12.5 percent who believed the opposite.

The poll also revealed that a further 50 percent of respondents were of the opinion that Jackson ought to be sent to jail if he were found guilty. Another 19 percent said they did not care about the court proceedings.

The Internet survey received opinions from 232 respondents.

In his heyday, Jackson had a cult following here and his undoubted influence is still felt even now.

A local dangdut singer known only as Alam has sold hundreds of thousands of records from imitating Jackson's singing style and his Moonwalk dance move.