Indonesia to host Miss World despite Muslim ire

“We have obtained support from the government so there are no obstacles,” said Syafril Nasution, corporate affairs director for RCTI, the organiser and official broadcaster of the event.

“Since the beginning, we have made it clear that the event will not feature bikinis, or make use of anything that is against religious and cultural values,” he said. “So we don’t really understand why there are still objections.” 

Amidhan Sabrah, chairman of the Indonesian Council of Ulema, said it was against the event because it objectified women. “This kind of events turn women into a commodity and that is against Islam,” he said. “Maybe in the West it’s not a problem, but it should not part of our customs.” 

However, he conceded that the council was not a religious police.

“We have the right to object,” he said. “Whether the event will go ahead or not it’s up to the government.” The semi-official council consists of religious scholars representing the country’s various Islamic organisations.

The pageant is scheduled for September 28 in Sentul, on the outskirts of Jakarta.

Last year, authorities in Jakarta refused to issue a concert permit for eccentric pop diva Lady Gaga following protests by hardline Muslim groups that said her stage act was pornographic.

About 88 per cent of Indonesia’s 238 million people adhere to the Islamic faith, making it the world’s largest Muslim-majority country.

Most Indonesian Muslims are moderate, but vocal hardline groups have become increasingly bold in pushing their agenda in recent years.