Traders benefit from erotic publications

JAKARTA (JP): Amid questioning of popular model Sophia Latjuba for her controversial seminude pose in a magazine, newspaper agents and street vendors are the winners as new risque and X- rated publications hit the streets.

Speaking to The Jakarta Post on Sunday, many newspaper vendors said they were able to make a profit of between Rp 200 (three U.S cents) and Rp 2,000 for each tabloid and magazine running sensual pictures and stories.

Mamad, a newspaper vendor on Jl. Samanhudi, Central Jakarta said: "(It's) not bad. I don't need any capital, since I take the copies from a nearby agent and return them if they don't sell out."

Mamad said he could send money regularly to his wife and five children in Garut, West Java, as a result of selling hot publications, which often sold out shortly after they were issued.

"It's probably because the tabloids are also cheaper than the magazines," he said.

Trisno, a newspaper vendor on Jl. Gunung Sahari, Central Jakarta, echoed Mamad's views.

"In the past, maybe the buyers were afraid or ashamed to buy the tabloids. But now many motorists buy them. Maybe it's because of reformasi," the father of five said.

Many other newspaper sellers, such as Ucok who sells newspapers and magazines in front of Gajah Mada Plaza in West Jakarta, and Jupri at the Senen bus terminal, Central Jakarta, shared the same delight with the surge in demand for such publications.

But Trisno said he was still afraid of selling XXX-rated publications.

"I'm afraid of being arrested by the police. But selling the tabloids, I think that's okay," he said.

Despite Trisno's reluctance to sell the hard-core publications, it is easy to buy XXX-rated magazines on the streets from the newspaper boys, who often hide the illegal material among the other publications.

Since the forced resignation of President Soeharto on May 21 last year, his successor President B.J. Habibie has relaxed media rules, a move highly praised by the local and international press communities.

As a result, some new tabloids and magazines focus their business on sex and run erotic pictures to lure readers.

Some of the new hot tabloids include Power, Pop, Map, Skandal and Protest. They are priced at between Rp 1,000 and Rp 2,000, slightly lower than the regular publications.

The new tabloids and magazines have added to the number of magazines and tabloids in existence before Soeharto's resignation.

A copy of Popular magazine's special edition, which featured model Sophia was sold for Rp 20,000. Some 200,000 copies of the magazines were reportedly sold out.

Trisno said many people were keen to buy the magazine, especially after Sophia was questioned on Friday as a witness in a police investigation of the growing number of sex publications here.

"Many want to buy (the special edition) for Rp 50,000 a copy. But I could not provide it anymore."

The traders have said they would not object if the government moves to ban such publications.

"We're small people. It's up to the government," Trisno said. (jun)