No nudity, but Playboy causes a stir in Indonesia

The first edition of Playboy in Indonesia causes interest at a Jakarta newsstand. Dimas Ardian / Getty Images

JAKARTA - Playboy magazine may no longer rate on the sexual cutting edge in some places, but the first edition in Indonesia caused a stir.

Although the pictures inside showed less skin than US issues 50 years ago, copies were being passed from desk to desk in Jakarta offices, high demand was reported, and newspapers and broadcasters dwelt at length on the Indonesian issue.

A leader of one militant Islamic group threatened to use force, if necessary, to get the magazine withdrawn.

Like the iconic original, the Indonesian Playboy included a serious interview, in-depth articles and colour pictures of women, including a fold-out. But no nipples were exposed in the photos, let alone anything approaching full nudity.

"I didn't see any surprising thing in this magazine. It depends on how people interpret it. For me, no problem," Alex, a white-collar worker who did not want to give his full name, said.

A 40-year-old housewife, Maya, disapproved. "Surely it is against the new anti-pornography law," she said.

Condemnation also came from Chamammah Soeratno, head of the women's wing of major Muslim moderate group Muhammadiyah.

"Everyone knows it's a pornographic magazine. The first edition may not have any nudity. That's a very clever move by the publishers," she said.

Indonesia's parliament is debating a law to significantly tighten control of media as well as public behaviour in an effort to reduce what its proponents see as pornography.

Indonesia has many magazines on news stands that go further than the new Playboy in the sexual content of their articles and at least as far in their pictures.

In fact, magazine and newspaper agent Azis, 41, said Playboy was not different enough from an existing upscale Indonesian men's magazine, Matra.

But even months ago the Playboy image and its Western origin had sparked protests at the mere news of plans for the Indonesian edition, despite promises of a tame version.

Around 85 per cent of Indonesia's 220 million people follow Islam. Although most are moderates, there is a growing tendency toward showing Islamic identity and conservative attitudes.

"I am afraid to sell the first edition because it has been reported that the Islamic organisations would be on alert," said newsstand owner Ronni, 30, who operates near the headquarters of a hardline Muslim group, the Islamic Defenders' Front (FPI).

Tubagus Sidiq, a senior leader of FPI, told Reuters: "FPI opposes (Playboy) in whatever form."

"According to our commitment, if they don't withdraw it then we will act in our own way, the forceful way. Our crew will clearly hound the editors ... We even oppose the name Playboy."

The government took a different view. "The laws that we can use in this case (are) whether there is a publication that violates decency. So, we need to check the content first. Just using the name is insufficient to ban it," Information Minister Sofyan Djalil said.

Bambang Kuncoko, a national police spokesman, said at a news conference that "the public should follow the law and must not take arbitrary actions. If that happens, the police will absolutely take legal actions."

Late on Friday afternoon local time about 20 FPI protesters, outnumbered by journalists covering them, showed up at the Playboy publishers offices, and local news radio said a representative team met with the magazine's editors.

Despite regular campaigns against pornography, many sidewalk vendors in Indonesia stock sexually explicit movies and the country has a flourishing sex industry.

Founded in 1953, Playboy has about 20 editions around the world catering to local tastes.

- REUTERS