Ulemas wage campaign against Inul

Ulemas wage campaign against Inul

JAKARTA: The Indonesian Council of Ulemas (MUI) has called on
political parties not to hire "indecently dressed" artists to
attract crowds to their 2004 election campaigns.

MUI Secretary Ichwan Syam said at a press conference on
Thursday that hiring "porn artists" to perform in public would
amount to "degrading people's morality".

Ichwan Syam referred specifically to Inul Daratista, a popular
dangdut -- a genre of Indonesian music blending traditional
Arabic, Indian and Malay music -- singer, as embodying the kind
of erotic artist he meant.

Inul, who has won both fame and notoriety with her erotic
choreography, is rumored to have been recruited by the Indonesian
Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) in its 2004
election campaign.

Ichwan Syams insisted that the Indonesian people, known for
their high regard of religious values, should not be exposed to
cultural performances which might lead them to "profanity and
moral decadence".

"The political parties which hire Inul Daratista or other such
erotic artists during their political rallies may be labeled as
promoters of immorality," Ichwan said. -- Antara