No request yet to ban La Toya Jackson shows
No request yet to ban La Toya Jackson shows
JAKARTA (JP): The Immigration Office has not received any
formal request to ban a visit by American singer La Toya Jackson.
"Although many quarters have raised objections to her planned
performances, we have yet to receive any official requests to ban
the artist from performing here," the spokesman for the office,
Hario Subayu, said here yesterday as quoted by Antara.
La Toya, a sister of mega-star Michael Jackson, is scheduled
to perform in Jakarta on May 26, Bandung on May 27 and Surabaya
on May 29. The performances are being sponsored by Buena
Production.
La Toya's performances, however, have been under threat of
cancellation since the ruling political group, Golkar, urged the
police not to grant a permit on the grounds that her attitude and
lifestyle are at odds with local values.
The chairman of Golkar's art and culture department, Ais
Anantama, asked police on May 17 to reject La Toya's permit
application due to her controversial past, which includes a nude
spread in Playboy magazine and a less than flattering story that
she once published about her family.
A few days later, chairman of the Golkar faction in the House
of Representatives, A. Moestahid, made a similar statement,
saying that the Entertainment Evaluating Committee should be very
selective in permitting certain foreign artists to perform in
Indonesia.
He concurred with Ais, saying that La Toya should be banned
from performing because her lifestyle does not fit into the local
culture.
Subayu said yesterday that his office is also waiting for the
sponsor to submit a visa application for La Toya.
He said, however, that "as long as she has a legal visa and
passport, there will be no problem."
He then pointed out that it is actually the commander of the
Armed Forces who has the authority to issue the ban.
On May 19, National Police deputy chief in charge of
operational affairs Maj. Gen. M. B. Hutagalung said police would
"most likely" issue a permit for the La Toya shows.
Buena Production director, Peter Basuki claims that he has
applied for permits from the Entertainment Evaluating Committee
and City Police and that both have given the green light.
He said he stood to lose over Rp 120 million (US$56,000) if La
Toya's performances in Indonesia were canceled. (bas)