Yunus surprised by ban of Butet's monolog VCD
JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Information Muhammad Yunus was taken aback on Wednesday by a ban imposed on a filmed monolog of acclaimed impersonator Butet Kertaredjasa.
Yunus, speaking before attending a Cabinet meeting on people's welfare at the Bina Graha presidential office, said he had yet to receive the report on the decision of the Film Censorship Institute (LSF).
"There has just been a reshuffle of LSF's executives, (but) the report took me by surprise," Yunus said. "This is perhaps the first (censorship) case to occur during my term in office."
In its letter dated July 28, 1999, the LSF chairman, Soekarno, said the censorship body banned the distribution of video compact discs of the monolog, titled King of the Jungle Turned Custodian (Raja Rimba Jadi Pawang), on the grounds that they "could weaken national resilience and/or damage national interests".
More than a half of the monolog, based on a script composed by Indra Tranggono, contains criticism intended to discredit a certain person or group, the LSF said.
Yunus speculated that the institute banned the monolog because it considered it violated the Criminal Code. "If this happens, it's the police which is supposed to deal with the matter."
The minister, known as a staunch champion of press freedom, promised he would seek an explanation from the body.
The LSF is under the auspices of the Ministry of Information. According to the 1992 Law on Film, the censorship body should allow a disputed film to undergo reediting to reach compliance with its standards before resorting to a ban. The body is not required to publicly announce banned movies.
Filmmakers are allowed to appeal against a ban, the law said.
Yunus claimed to know little about Butet, a son of respected Yogyakarta choreographer Bagong Kusudiardjo. He has gained fame for his skilled mimicry of the voices of former president Soeharto and his successor B.J. Habibie.
Yunus laughed when he was told of Butet's skills.
In many of his performances, Butet impersonated both Soeharto and Habibie, but he has never been admonished or questioned by the police.
Butet said the monolog was shown publicly several times. It was shot during a performance on May 15 at Duta Wacana Christian University in Yogyakarta.
The LSF twice requested the producer, PT Anugerah Damai Sejahtera, reedit the film to comply with its standards. A scene of the military's dual role and the inclusion of the traditional song Angin Mamiri (Breeze) in a scene depicting the ouster of the king of the jungle and the rise of a baby-faced tiger to the throne were cut at LSF's request, but the ban stood. The song is from South Sulawesi, the birthplace of Habibie.
Butet told The Jakarta Post recently he was not involved in the reediting process. (prb/amd)