Surabaya entertainers back Inul

Surabaya entertainers back Inul

SURABAYA, East Java: Dozens of entertainers in Surabaya demonstrated on Wednesday in support of controversial dangdut singer Inul Daratista. The show of support comes days after "king of dangdut" Rhoma Irama berated Inul for her erotic dancing.

"What Inul does is a creation by an entertainer who started her career at the bottom. No one can stop creativity, the desire to express oneself," said Herry Lento, who coordinated the rally in front of the Surabaya Youth Building.

Once an unknown dangdut singer performing at small venues around East Java, Inul's gyrating hips made her an overnight star. But a number of religious figures have criticized her so- called "drilling" dance, which they say is too erotic for domestic audiences.

Dangdut king Rhoma has forbidden Inul from performing his songs, and as the chairman of the Association of Indonesian Dangdut Singers he recently reprimanded her for her dancing.

Religious leader and former president Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid recently came out in support of Inul. He said that those who criticized her were misusing religious precepts as a pretext to suppress freedom of expression. -- Antara