Music video clips exploit women

Music video clips exploit women

From Media Indonesia

A few years ago, our government strongly prohibited cengeng (overly emotional) songs on television for fear of their bad influence on children, who memorized the words very easily.

More recently, many video clips (especially of dangdut music) are appearing on television in great numbers. These clips openly exploit the female body wearing shorts, mini skirts, tight outfits and performing erotic dances. Apart from private television stations, the state's TVRI shows them frequently between programs. The private TPI, as a station with an "educational" mission, shows the greatest number of these clips. The government has, apparently, not taken any measures to bring order to the programs. The video clips have a very bad influence on people, from children to adults.

Muslim figures who look strong with their Islamic parties have not been heard commenting, let alone protesting the video clips or sex-oriented programs on television. Prominent members of women's organizations seem to close their eyes; they usually speak out when fighting for women's dignity. The education world, too, seems indifferent. Video-clip producers are having a good time. Viewers are being entertained, unaware that they are falling into a trap. Let us hope that it is not a sign of the success of Westernization in Indonesia so that we are used to producing programs that degrade women's values and the nation in general.

This is, possibly, a challenge for certain groups to sponsor a forum to discuss the problem with the related agencies.

S. ZAINAL ABIDIN

Bandung, West Java