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