Valentine's Day "Banned" Again in 2011...

The fact that the crotchety old white-robed backward looking Islamic scholars in various parts of Indonesia take the time to consider Valentine's Day each year is testament to the pervasive nature of the celebration. However, the vast majority of Indonesians have too little time to take stock of fatwas and other edicts issued banning Valentine's Day. The vast majority probably do not do anything out of the ordinary. It is just another day in a busy calendar.

It seems that Valentine's Day falls foul of the defenders of truth and the ways of the Prophet because it is a Western celebration of love. And, that is haram or forbidden in Islam. I wonder if it is dangerous because it is thought to be a western tradition and those western kafirs would do anything they could to undermine Indonesia or is it just that because it is about love it might promote promiscuity and, heaven forbid, free casual sex. I have been told there is no aphrodisiac quite like a bunch of flowers and a box of chocolates. But, that said, as Forrest used to say: "life is like a box of chocolates, you never quite no what you're gonna get".

Traditionally, the Indonesian Council of Ulemas (MUI) have banned Valentine's Day on the basis that it is the same as proselytizing.

My guess is that most Indonesians will take no notice of the warnings and go about their daily lives as they would have if no fatwas were issued. I am also thinking that Cupid will not be deterred either come 14 February.

Ho hum...

Too Much Christmas for the MUI?

Can there ever be too much Christmas cheer? Yes!

It would seem that the Indonesian arbiters of all things Islam and Muslim, the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI), has decided that Indonesian malls have gone overboard this year. The malls have gotten so far into the Christmas spirit that Indonesian Muslims are offended by the constant bombardment of the message of giving and peace. The MUI has a serious problem with this fat white pagan in a red suit with a long-flowing white beard, he is everywhere!

Muhyidin Junaidi of the MUI has said that this constant bombardment of Christmas cheer will lead to a very negative backlash from Indonesia's Muslim majority. According to Junaidi, the logic is obvious, Muslims do not celebrate Christmas and as such having it constantly shoved in their face would be tantamount to proselytising. Ah, Pak Junaidi, the only incitement being promoted here is by you! But, if we were to take Junaidi's logic to a logical conclusion, then all celebrations must be muted in order to not offend those that do not practice a particular faith or celebrate a particular day. Then gain, what I think Junaidi is saying is that it is OK where that celebration is being conducted by the majority. But, when it is being conducted by a minority it is then OK to discriminate against the majority and stifle their constitutional rights to celebrate.

Or perhaps, Junaidi is simply saying that any money these malls make by capitalising on the Christmas theme at this time of year is haram. Surely, the MUI could issue a fatwa that bans Muslims from putting red sprinkles on their Starbucks coffee or something. Seriously, the great majority of Indonesian Muslims that I have had the pleasure of knowing and calling friends are not offended by this time of year. They do not have to practice or even participate in the rituals that are Christmas, but they are more than happy to tolerate those that do. It is as simple as give and take; it is about mutual respect; it is about focusing on the big issues and not sweating the little stuff. It really is too bad that the MUI cannot get in touch with the vast majority of Indonesians practicing a tolerant and moderate form of the Islamic faith.

But, let's assume for a minute that a Muslim sales promotional girl was forced to wear a "Santa's little helper" outfit. And, let's assume that this is something that she finds offensive. If this young woman was fired for not wanting to wear a Santa's little helper outfit on religious grounds, then I would have a problem with that. She should simply be moved to a position that does not require her to don the Christmas garb for the duration of the festive period. Until, it reaches a stage where people are getting fired for not wearing Christmas outfits as part of their job description, then Junaidi is really only stoking the fire of religious intolerance.

To the MUI, all my Muslim friends, colleagues and acquaintances are good Muslims and good people. They are not disturbed by the fat guy in the red suit.

Ho hum...

MUI and the Q Film Festival...

The MUI, the Indonesian Ulema Council, is always good for coming up with creative ways to characterise all manner of things, but let's face it human rights is not one of their fortes. So, it was mildly amusing to read that the MUI has decided that its position for opposing the Q film festival being held in Jakarta is that homosexuality is a breach of human rights.

The Q film festival is Asia's largest gay and lesbian film festival. The fact that it is being held in Indonesia is a victory for Indonesian gay and lesbian activists and for moderate Islam. Nevertheless, there are always those hard-liners who cannot accept nor tolerate difference. These people are not only the fanatics of the Islamic Defenders' Front (FPI) but also the upstanding interpreters of God's words at the MUI.

The rest of the MUI argument is that the French, German and Japanese governments are violating Indonesia's sovereignty by allowing gays and lesbians to screen films using their facilities. According to the MUI, homosexuality is just not the Indonesian way, it is not culturally acceptable, and besides all of these countries call themselves defenders of human rights but actively engage in permitting the abuse of human rights by tolerating homosexuality.

Aside from not being culturally acceptable in Indonesia, the MUI also makes the point that homosexuality is not tolerated in Islam either. But, most Indonesians would know this already in light of Tifatul Sembiring's recent tweets and his quoting of some relevant Sura. Yet, I can think of a few places where the practice of Islam is less moderate than in Indonesia but seems to be tolerated in the turning of a blind eye sense. Maybe, Ma'ruf should watch The Kite Runner, he might learn a thing or two about life.

Yes, if you are shaking your head and wondering whatever are they talking about, then you are not alone.

However, head shaking aside. The argument that homosexuality is a violation of human rights deserves a second look because it is an argument that I have not heard before. It is also an argument that I had to think about in order to get my head around it. After all, I figured that if we are all children of God then we are products of God and as such will be responsible to her (or him) come judgment day. But, it would seem, according to Ma'ruf Amin of the MUI, argues that homosexuality is a breach of human rights because God gave rights to men and women to marry each other, but not to men to marry men or women to marry other women.

Uh huh, now I get it, gay marriage is forbidden in Islam. Although, I am not a big fan of Wikipedia as an authoritative source of information, it is worth a read because it can quite often point one towards more authoritative sources. However, this Wikipedia entry on homosexuality in Islam is worth a read, particularly the part about the history  of homosexuality.

After the Non-Fatwa, Kopi Luwak Farming...

Simple economics would suggest that the best way of keeping a price high is to ensure that there is limited supply. So, the decision to move towards mass production of Kopi Luwak by farming the civets that eat the coffee beans and excrete them partially digested appears to be a recipe for market disaster.

I am not an economist. However, in my mind, it is pretty simple. If you increase supply without a commensurate increase in demand then it will not be too long before there is oversupply and downward pressure on the price of the product.

Anyways, the idea is that civets are going to be bred in captivity and then force-fed the coffee beans. This is supposedly a sure-fire money spinner as collectors of the valuable civet dung need go no further than scampering up and down under the civet cages. The image that comes to mind is egg farming; the rows upon rows of caged chickens popping out eggs.

It is interesting that the decision to start small-scale farming comes on the heels of the recent decision by the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) not to issue a fatwa prohibiting Muslims from drinking the coffee. According to the MUI, Kopi Luwak is halal (permitted for consumption) if it has been thoroughly and properly washed. I wonder what the quality assurance procedure is on this "thorough" cleaning arrangement? After all, the whole point of Civet Coffee is that the beans are partially digested by the stomach enzymes of the civet.

The non-fatwa has inspired PT Perkebunan Nusantara XII to see an opportunity to ramp up production and presumably ratchet up profits into the bargain.

The current price range for a cup of the Kopi Luwak in Jakarta is somewhere between IDR 90,000 and IDR 110,000, so it is not cheap. Or for those that drink their coffee at the franchise havens of Gloria Jeans or Starbucks, it is the equivalent of a couple of the biggest and most expensive brews on offer at those franchises.

Kopi Luwak is an acquired taste, kind of like Durien (Duren), some people love it and some people hate it. Kopi Luwak is a nice coffee, but I have never been convinced that it was ever worth the price charged.

No Ban on BlackBerry in Indonesia?

The Ministry of Communication and Information through its spokesperson, Gatot Dewa Broto, stated that there was no plan to ban BlackBerry or its services in Indonesia.

The push from the Ministry is to only get BlackBerry to open a "data center" in Indonesia so that data did not have to be routed through Canada. The rationale here is that this would lower costs for Indonesian consumers and speed up services because data would presumably not have so far to travel to be processed.

I am not techno wizard, but that sounds like waffle to me, particularly in this age of instantaneous technology.

According to the Ministry, there is no urgency to close off the services. So, this must mean that Indonesia does not hold the same national security concerns that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) or Saudi Arabia. Nevertheless, going on past form, it would seem likely that the Government of Indonesia is prepared to threaten to block BlackBerry imports if it does not get its way with a service center. So, it is not beyond the realm of possibility that the Minister TitS and his Ministry will back flip on this and seek to restrict or ban services.

The other possibility here is that the MUI steps in and issues a fatwa prohibiting Muslims from using BlackBerry smartphones because the phones are deemed to be haram in Islam. And, as one of my commenters to a previous post pointed out, the MUI is prepared to consider anything once a request has been made of it. Perhaps Minister TitS could ask the MUI what they think of the current shenanigans.

Time will tell. But, it would not be the first time the Indonesian government has reversed a previously stated position (Indonesia is not alone in the reversing of positions, I have recently been watching a retrospective on recent Australian government reversals on all manner of things - climate change for example).

I am no longer in Indonesia and I am not a BlackBerry owner. However, the associated privacy issues are interesting.

Ho hum...

It's MUI Fatwa Time...

Pinch me, pinch me, I must be asleep and dreaming. The MUI has just issued a fatwa on infotainment (gossip shows) and sex change operations, stating that both are prohibited under Islam. I would like to say wake up and smell the coffee, but I am reluctant to remind them that they almost banned Luwak Coffee last week. It is probably best not to give them any ideas, heaven forbid they will be issuing a fatwa next week banning the MUI.

Fatwas are man's way of feeling important in God's world. The cold hard reality is that if God is real then s/he certainly does not need the assistance of mere mortals in the application of God's laws. I would reckon God can probably sort this one out on his / her own. In any event, where does man get off thinking that he has the requisite skills to determine and then decide what God has in mind? May the wrath of Allah come down on you, and swiftly!

According to the crotchety old men at the MUI responsible for this silliness, it is forbidden for Muslims to gossip. The rationale is that gossiping requires Muslims to expose the private details and lives of others in the public domain. Ah, yes it does. Good one fellas, you worked that one out all by yourself. Now, some gossip is indeed factual.

For example, the father of Sheila Marcia Joseph's child has recently been exposed publicly. The name of the father does not yet appear on the child's birth certificate yet. So, I am wondering why discussing such gossip is prohibited in Islam. Perhaps one of my Muslim brothers or sisters can enlighten me as to where in the Koran it says that factual gossip is prohibited.

Not satisfied with banning gossip, the MUI has gone the whole nine yards and stated that profiting from infotainment or gossip is haram. What? So, if a company advertises during an infotainment show then it has broken some law in Islam? Wow. Nevertheless, it appears that there are some exceptions, albeit very limited. If the gossip is to warn people then it is permitted, it is mubah. Presumably this means that gossip such as the recent Nazriel "Ariel" Irham, Luna Maya, and Cut Tari videos would fall under this exception as the gossip clearly highlights the dangers of filming yourself bonking your brains out.

My guess would be that the MUI would have been better issuing a fatwa about defamation, slander, and libel. But, no matter, anything that the MUI issues is not legally binding on Indonesian citizens. Indonesians cannot be worldly punished for ignoring the silly fatwas issued by the MUI.  It all comes down to whether Indonesians truly believe that the MUI is the sole interpreter of God's words on Indonesian soil. If not, then fatwa away boys!

What is truly funny about this whole infotainment fatwa was that the MUI had intended to discuss welfare issues, but dropped welfare in favour of outlawing gossip shows. This clearly shows that the MUI cares more about populist issues and getting their names in print than they do about the religious care of their flocks.

The other fatwas issued covered the trade in organs and marriages of convenience. I am an organ donor. The fatwa prohibits the poor kampung fellow from selling a kidney to a rich Singaporean willing to pay USD 50K. However, it does not prohibit organ transplants And, it does not prohibit Muslims from receiving a non-Muslim organ. Although, any transplant does need to be witnessed by two Muslim doctors. I wonder how a Muslim would feel about getting a kidney from a Jew? Interestingly, the fatwa considers animal to human transplants and canvasses the idea of transplants from unclean animals in an emergency situation.

The final worthy mention is the fatwa on sex change operations. Once again, there is an exception here; sound medical reasons. Any takers on "sound medical reasons"? This must require a diagnosis from a psychologist along the lines of, "yes, he was born male, but he identifies only as a woman."

No apologies for the length. The point probably could have been made this way:

These fatwas are unnecessary as Indonesians are more than capable of working out these issues on their own and without the involvement of the MUI.

I wonder when the MUI will get around to issuing a fatwa banning the FPI?

Ho hum...

Kopi Luwak -- A Postscript...

The MUI has decided that Kopi Luwak (Luwak Coffee) is OK for consumption by Muslims. This means that the MUI sees no need to issue a fatwa prohibiting Muslims from drinking really expensive coffee. I have had a mug or two in my time of the kopi luwak, and it is an excellent drop. Nevertheless, it is a luxury that is currently out of my price range.

I am not Muslim so a fatwa would make no difference to me anyway. But, I am a little confused by the reasoning of the MUI on this one. Perhaps some of my Muslim readers or other informed souls will see fit to enlighten me. The concern here was whether the coffee was the product of something that was najis, or ritually impure. If it was, then Muslims would be required to avoid it or drink it and seemingly be in a perpetual state of najasat (ritual impurity).

Kopi Luwak is coffee that is made from beans that have been eaten by a civet and then excreted whole. My understanding was that the civet was najis in the same ways that dogs and pigs are considered najis. In addition, we are talking about coffee beans that have been eaten by something that is najis and then this najis little civet craps out the beans which are then collected, cleaned, ground, and sold for big dollars.

The MUI decision not to act is based on the belief that if the beans remain in tact and are thoroughly cleaned and there is no fecal contamination then the coffee is fine to drink, at least this is the story according to Ma'ruf Amin.

This must mean that the MUI is going to certify the production process or it will have to have a little bean checker dude checking each and every been as it is processed.

Oh well, happy kopi luwak drinking time to all!

MUI, Fatwas, and Kopi Luwak...

Each passing day further highlights the fact that the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) has way too much time on its hands. Unfortunately, rather than doing something useful like marshalling their considerable resources and self-confessed moral authority to rid Indonesia of poverty, they instead focus their considerable energies on really useful world-changing matters such as the prohibition of drinking kopi luwak.

Kopi luwak is the world's most expensive coffee. What makes this coffee so unique, and apparently worth up to USD 600 a kilo is that the coffee beans are eaten by the civet and then passed through their intestinal tract and excreted in their feces. Then the feces are collected, the beans washed, and the coffee ground. All pretty simple really.

It is likely that there are many people who would turn up their nose at the prospect of paying top dollar for a recycled coffee bean, particularly so for a coffee bean recycled in this way. Yet, there are those who believe that kopi luwak is one of the world's great coffees, exquisite, and so worthy of the high price tag. Then there are others, probably not to be classed as connoisseurs of the little black beans, who think it to be just another cup of coffee, no better or no worse than you might get from a McDonalds McCafe.

Funnily enough, the Indonesian president, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) decided that it was exquisite enough to give a bag to Kevin Rudd (former Australian Prime Minister) when Rudd visited Indonesia. That led to the inevitable, and somewhat lame jokes, of "crappacino" and "dung diplomacy".

However, when one thinks about it, it was pretty prophetic of the Indonesian president because it was not all that far into the future after that the then Australian PM found himself in a world of crap and was deposed as PM by his deputy.

The interest from the MUI (and according to the MUI, the NU) stems from concerns that kopi luwak is najis. Najis means ritually unclean, and unclean foods are forbidden in Islam. There is no doubting that najis exists in Islam and there are very specific provisions in place relating to things that are najis. It remains to be seen as to whether kopi luwak is one of those things.

However, no matter what the outcome, it remains a truism that there are so many far more important and pressing matters facing Indonesia and Indonesians that the MUI would be better served thinking about those and directing their collective energies to the successful resolution of those problems first before worrying about the najis or lack of najis-ness of kopi luwak.

Ho hum...

NU Making Sense...

In contrast to the Indonesia Ulema Council (MUI) the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) makes much better use of common sense when it comes to the relationships between mosque and state. The NU also makes considerably more sense all of the time in contrast to the Islam Defenders' Front (FPI).

It is coming up to that time of year where Muslims begin the fasting month of Ramadan. In essence, Muslims are required to abstain from food and other pleasures during the daylight hours. Generally, in Indonesia, Ramadan also includes restrictions on trading hours for entertainment venues. Some venues are required to close down for the month. Those that do not close down open for shorter periods, and if they serve alcohol then this is done in plastic cups or coffee mugs, anything but bottles.

The Chairperson of the NU, Said Aqil Siradj, has instructed all members of the NU to 'cease and desist' in conducting raids and sweepings of places that open legitimately or who open in breach of the regulations / ordinances governing entertainment venues. Simply, he said something along the lines of, 'it is not out job to enforce the law. It is the job of law enforcement, if their enforcement is weak then we should encourage them to do better.'

Siradj then went onto encourage NU members to follow the lead of the Prophet who was focused on establishing a civilised state. And, the idea of sweepings and other raids on entertainment venues was tantamount to the NU taken matters into their own hands and creating a state within a state because they would be making their own rules.

It is still true that Indonesia is a secular state. And, even though the majority of citizens are Muslim, it must be noted that not all are. The question is one of respect and tolerance. Respect and tolerance are a two way street. You do not get respect because you demand it, you get respect because you earn it.

I would add that he has a number of good points there. It is time that people let law enforcement do the job they are supposed to. It is also time that the people held law enforcement accountable when they failed to do the job that they are tasked to do. However, demanding accountability does not include vigilante justice and taking matters of law and order into your own hands.

Despite the plea of the NU to show restraint, it is almost certain that the FPI will be out at some point during the month conducting raids and sweepings of entertainment venues, and generally terrorising innocent citizens going about their lives.

On a side note, I have always wondered about the wisdom of shutting down entertainment venues. From an economic standpoint, those people who work in them are in effect unemployed for a month. It is not a common practice for these individuals to be drawing a wage when they are not working. The trickle down effects of this must be significant.

The other side note is a simple question, "why force entertainment venues to close during Ramadan?" Muslims know and understand the tenets of their religion. They know what the rules are with respect to Ramadan, particularly what they can and cannot do and when they can and cannot do it. Are entertainment venues closed because they are against Islamic law? Or are they closed because Muslims need a little extra help to avoid temptation? Or are they closed to satisfy some perceived ideal that this is what the community at large wants the government to do?

Anyways, hopefully the members of NU will take heed of the call and focus on the obligations they have with respect to themselves of the month of Ramadan and let law enforcement and God take care of the rest!

(I am serious with the last little bit about God taking care of the rest. If one truly does believe in an all-powerful God, then it would make sense for us not to pre-judge the deity and act in the deity's name against others. For if the deity knows best then they will certainly "take care" of those that please and displease him / her)

MUI Facing Mecca...

One of the primary tenets of the Islamic faith is that no matter where you are in the world you are to face the holy city of Mecca when you pray. So, it is pretty important that you get your directions right. This is very much the case if you are thinking of building a new mosque and are thinking that you will have the mosque pointing in the right direction to start with.

Last time I thought about it, I thought that Mecca was in Saudi Arabia, and Saudi Arabia is generally in a north-west direction from the archipelago that is Indonesia. Nevertheless, in their infinite wisdom the talking heads at the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) issued a fatwa that instructed Indonesian Muslims to face west when praying to Mecca. Now, my guess is that even some rudimentary geographical knowledge might lead one to suspect that facing west from Indonesia is going to have you facing Africa, probably somewhere in Somalia. By all reasonable accounts on the subject, Somalis is quite some distance from where good Muslims want to be facing when in prayer. The MUI issued the misdirected fatwa back in March.

The solution according to Cholil Ridwan of the MUI is that Muslims slightly alter the direction they are facing when they commence prayer. He was also quick to point out that there was no need to knock down any mosques that have been built facing Africa in accordance with the previous fatwa. Ridwan went on to say that it was no big deal in the sense that Allah still would have heard the people's prayers even though they were facing the wrong direction. This might be some comfort to some, but it really is not the point, is it?

The point is that the MUI is supposedly the peak body in Indonesia that has become the self-appointed authority on all things Islam. It is a little disheartening, to say the least, that as a group no-one picked up at the time in March when the original fatwa was issued that the direction was wrong, particularly when the issue is one that is so fundamental to the practice of the religion itself.

What is interesting is that Said Agil Siradj of the Nahdlatul Ulama, Indonesia's largest Muslim organisation, suggested that this fatwa shows that the MUI does not necessarily think these things through thoroughly enough before issuing a fatwa.

The big question here is whether or not the MUI learns anything from this significant error, or whether it is just going to be business as usual with knee-jerk fatwa issuing reactions to whatever the popular issue is of the day.

In any event, it would be reasonable to suggest that the MUI has now got some work to do to restore public confidence (assuming there was any to start with) in their ability to be the arbiters of all things Islam in Indonesia. Let's face it, if they cannot get their directions right then how much confidence can one have in their interpretations of the Koran (al-Qur'an / the Holy Qu'ran)?

Story sourced from here and here.

Singapore Casinos & Indonesian Gamblers...

It appears a good bet that some of the biggest and most consistent visitors to the new casinos opening in Singapore are going to be Indonesians. The Resorts World Sentosa is the first of two casinos to open its doors in Singapore. The casino is expected to be open today in order to capitalize on the celebrations surrounding the Chinese New Year. So, today is likely to be an interesting day for many punters as it might be a view into what sort of luck, or lack thereof, they are going to enjoy in the Year of the Tiger.

The second casino is the Marina Bay Sands which is affiliates with the Sands casinos out of Las Vegas. The Sands is not expected to open until April 2010, which means the Sentosa is certainly going to enjoy a bit of a head start.

It would be fair to say that it is not only going to be Indonesians of Chinese ancestry that may partake in a hand or two of Blackjack and Baccarat or a couple of rounds at the Roulette table, there is an expectation that Indonesians of all faiths and types of ancestry will take the plunge and part with some of their fortune in search of new fortunes. This is expected to include those of the Muslim faith.

Singapore is a prime destination for many Indonesians. It is close, and it remains a shopping mecca (this is in spite of the numerous malls and branded stores already in Jakarta) for the well-to-do Indonesians looking to spend a weekend away. The casinos provide a little something extra, for those who have shopped themselves out during the day, to do in the evening. Nothing like glamming it up and hitting the casinos and spending up big.

However, it might be worth mentioning that there are thousands (perhaps tens of thousands?) of Indonesian maids working in Singapore. A wander down Orchard Road on a Sunday afternoon is like taking a walk on a busy Indonesian street on any day of the week in that one hears a steady stream of Indonesian and local dialects such as Sundanese, Javanese, and some Batak thrown into the mix. The point being, will any of these maids be tempted to win their fortune by gambling their meager incomes on the flip of a card or the spin of a wheel?

The temptation of winning the "big one" is quite often too much temptation for some to bear. So, is it a fair question to ponder, has the Singaporean government put into place mechanisms to deal with not only the increased revenue they are expecting the casinos to generate, but also mechanisms to deal with the social problems that are going to arise as they relate to problem gambling?

Perhaps Draconian police measures are not going to be enough to keep crime rates down. Any increase in crime is going to make Singapore a less attractive place to visit. The reality is (or at least was) that I enjoyed going to Singapore for no other reason than it was sometimes nice to get a little respite from the chaos and pollution of Jakarta, and it was always nice to be able to walk down the road, in this case Orchard Road, late in the evening and feel safe as houses.

But, the 'interesting' point of the expected influx of Indonesians to the gambling tables of Singapore is that many of these gamblers are likely to be Muslims. Gambling is expressly forbidden in Islam. So, to engage in it would be somewhat sinful, particularly if one was doing it with the full knowledge that it was sinful. This has been the primary deterrent in legislating for a casino to be built in the Thousand Islands area off the coast of Jakarta; the sinfulness of gambling.

It is too bad that money from gambling is haram because the increased revenue that would most likely be generated from a casino in Jakarta could be used to offset the social problems that allowing gambling would create, but also direct some much needed funding to education and health programs to ensure that "all" Indonesians had access to some basic facilities (naive, maybe; but what has been put into place to date is not working, and has not worked, so what is there to lose?).

The combined intellect of the Majelis Ulama Indonesia (Indonesian Ulema Council / MUI) has stated that to gamble is to sin. Gambling is expressly forbidden in Islam (and in Indonesian law) so any Indonesian Muslim would be in a spot of bother in Indonesia. However, Amidhan of the MUI, has offered up that the MUI is only concerned with Indonesian Muslims gambling in Indonesia because what Indonesian Muslims do while they are abroad is beyond the MUI's control. I guess this means that any Indonesian Muslim that gambles abroad answers directly to Allah and no longer to the MUI?

The casinos are not just casinos, but rather full-service fun, entertainment, and business venues that can cater to a broad range of interests and needs. The idea seemingly being that "you" can hold a business conference there, and there just happens to be a casino close by for punters to partake in their hobbies during the non-business related sessions of their trip. The Sentosa includes a theme park which makes it a family-oriented weekend away (or as the cynics have suggested - somewhere to dump the kids while mum and dad go and spend the kids' inheritance).

Singapore hopes that the imminent opening of the casinos will be a shot in the arm for recently dwindling tourist arrivals in the city state. Time will tell!

Valentine's Day -- A Western Tradition, Not a Muslim One...

It always happens that when you have a group of grumpy old men sitting around with too much time on their hands and not enough to do who call themselves the peak Islamic Scholars body of Indonesia, then you are likely to get silly fatwas. These fatwas serve no other purpose than to convince most righteous and modern Muslims that these gentlemen really do not "get it".

Now, the Nahdlatul Ulama is generally accepted as Indonesia's biggest Muslim organization. It also happened to be the spiritual home of one of Indonesia's most vocal proponents of a pluralistic Indonesian community, the late Gus Dur. However, more recently Abdullah Cholil of the East Java branch of the NU decided to tell his Muslim brothers and sisters that it was forbidden (haram) for Muslims to celebrate Valentine's Day (photo) in any shape, manner, or form.

According to Abdullah, the day is celebrated by young unmarried people and this would lead to sinful thoughts and actions, such as free sex (perhaps casual sex would be a better term as sex is generally never free - just ask Antasari who paid USD 500 for a little and is now about to embark on 18 years in prison for oral sex).

Furthermore, Abdullah states that young people are not supposed to be doing either, committing sins or having sex. Nevertheless, if Abdullah's concerns relate to youn unmarried people then it would stand to reason that celebrating Valentine's Day for married couples who are gong to be having sinful thoughts about each other and engaging in some carnal pleasure with each other on Valentine's Day should not be a problem, right?

Well, may be it is. It would seem that Lalilurrahman, of the East Java of the Majelis Ulama Indonesia (Indonesian Ulema Council / MUI) went a little further stating that a celebration of romance and love is a Western tradition and therefore haram for Muslims to celebrate as it is not part of Muslim or Eastern culture.

For my mind, this leaves Lalilurrahman a little exposed to the cynics among us who might be tempted to suggest that romance and love are obviously not part of Islamic tradition. Although, I am guessing that there are some more moderate Islamic views on love, romance, and Islamic traditions that remain faithful to the tenets of the faith but make a compelling argument that Laliurrahman and Abdullah have it wrong. I will leave it to them to make those arguments, if they want.

In any event, it goes without saying that Indonesia faces more pressing problems and challenges than Valentine's Day, but then again with a group of grumpy old men who are not getting "any" it seems that if they are not getting their Valentine's Day rocks off then no-one should be getting them off, let's kill it! Or they could just stay home and view some online porn and self-gratify, but that might expose them to being called 'wankers', then again a fatwa banning Valentine's Day might have already taken care of that.

The Menstrating Ghost of Puncak...

Hantu Puncak Datang Bulan is a horror film that includes a rather large number of 'pornographic' scenes. Pornography in this sense is the Indonesian definition of the term and means that the film includes some skin shots and some sex scenes. For most discerning adults the film might not even make it into the soft porn category, but to each their own. The whole premise of a horror movie with some soft porn seems to be tailor-made for controversy in a nation that is predominantly Muslim such as Indonesia.

To their credit the Muslim Ulema Council (Majelis Ulama Indonesia / MUI) did not disappoint. They have been vocal in stating that the film is not in-line with Muslim values. However, they acknowledge that if people choose to make these films and they pass the censors, then it is up to the individual Muslims themselves to decide whether or not to watch it. Nevertheless, the MUI is lobbying hard for the Indonesian Film Censorship Board (Lembaga Sensor Film / LSF) to ban the movie.

However, the Islam Defenders Front (Front Pembela Islam / FPI) has no such reservations. They have threatened to use violence to prevent the screening of the film if movie theatres do not 'voluntarily' opt to not show the film.

The movie has already passed the LSF and can be screened in Indonesia. This suggests that it does not contravene any prevailing laws and regulations according to the peak body tasked with these decisions. The rumor mill and the controversy is sure to see what is reportedly a very poor B-grade horror flick become a bit of a hit.

There is one thing that you can be sure of, when the MUI, LSF, or the FPI get involved in a discussion about a movie then this is likely to become some of the best free marketing a movie studio could hope for. But, then again, it sometimes signals the death knell for other films such as 'Kidnapping Miyabi'. And, then sometimes, the controversy just disappears such as with the film 'Suster Keramas' starring Rin Sakuragi.

Here is a trailer for the film (courtesy of You Tube):

Rin Sakuragi -- More Japanese Porn Stars in Indonesia...

Maxima Pictures has played a perfect deception by promoting one movie with a Japanese porn star as the main character while simultaneously shooting another film with another Japanese porn star and releasing it into theatres without too much fan fare to date. Quite a trick in Indonesia.

The previous kerfuffle related to the film Kidnapping Miyabi, which was to star as herself none other than that famous Japanese porn star Maria Ozawa or as she is known in industry circles, Miyabi. However, the latest offering from Maxima Pictures stars another Japanese actress of considerable pornographic talents, Rin Sakuragi.

The film, Sister Keramas (the Hair-Washing Nurse), is billed as a horror-comedy. What is it with porn stars and horror flicks, or more to the point horror-comedy flicks? I have to say, the title of the film is not all that inspiring to me, and besides a horror-comedy flick does not seem like the perfect vehicle for Rin to showcase her obvious talents.

In a move that is sure to see the movie's popularity boosted the MUI in Samarinda has issued a fatwa declaring that the movie must not be watched by Muslims as it lacks any redeeming features. Presumably this means that it is not educative or serves no particular purpose in the public interest. This is true, of course. But, then again it is just a film and it is supposed to, in this instance entertain as opposed to educate.

But, as usual, this post lends itself to some gratuitous posting of pictures of Rin in some of her more tame poses.

Enjoy the pictures and the film if you so desire.

2012 Movie, Muslims, and Fatwas

When is a film just a film, and when does it become an unbridled insult of a religion, in this case Islam, that requires a fatwa (edict) to be issued warning Muslims not to watch it?

Well, this has seemingly been uncovered in Indonesia. It also highlights how little some Indonesian Muslim scholars follow the news and how narrowly they read in the case of the movie 2012.

2012 is the last year of the Mayan calendar. There have been doomsday predictions floating around for many centuries, Nostradamus has a few of them himself. However, ask a couple of Mayan scholars and experts, and you will soon come to the conclusion that the fact 2012 seems to be a cut-off date is not as evil as it seems with respect to the world ending.

In any event, it is a movie. Movies are designed to entertain, this movie has awesome special effects, and lacks somewhat on a real good plot (supposedly - I have not watched it myself, yet).

However, the very idea of a doomsday movie got the Malang (East Java) and Solo (Central Java) Chapters of the Indonesian Ulama Council (Majelis Ulema Indonesia / MUI) to thinking about how blasphemous the movie is because all good Muslims know that only Allah knows when the world will end. They forgot to add that part that all good rational Muslims also understand that this is a movie, it is not real. And, it is not likely to be the trigger for them to suddenly change their beliefs or to question Islam.

Nevertheless, these Ulamas or scholars thought that the best approach was to issue a fatwa banning Muslims in their constituencies from going to watch the film. To date this has been nothing more than a few talking heads looking for 15 minutes of fame and a few bylines in the papers (and of course the ridicule of most bloggers Muslim and non-Muslim alike). In any event, a fatwa seems unlikely.

It is worth noting that one of the key features of the movie is the scene that does not appear. The film does not show Mecca the destruction of Mecca or any other religious symbols of Islam. The director omitted the destruction of these things in order to avoid a fatwa being issued against the film.

It certainly is one of those shake your head moments where you find yourself giggling to yourself wondering if these gentlemen are for real. It would be better use of their time to be focusing on issues that have real meaning to people throughout Indonesia. For example, how about a fatwa on the prohibition of men marrying children? Or a fatwa on perils of corruption? There are so many more important things happening in Indonesia and the world compared to a Hollywood film exploring what doomsday might look like.

I have plans that go past 2012. Do you?

Kidnapping Julia?

Now that it seems Maria Ozawa (aka Miyabi) has pulled the plug on coming to Indonesia to play the lead role in the film "Kidnapping Miyabi" out of fear for her life, or perhaps it's just because she cannot be bothered to go toe-to-toe with the Indonesian Ulama Council (Majelis Ulema Indonesia / MUI) or Islam Defenders Front (Front Pembela Islam / FPI). Either way, the Japanese porn star that was looking to expand her portfolio of film work into the comedy genre, Maria is now history.

So, rather than write the concept off altogether perhaps the people at Maxima Productions can come to an arrangement with a suitable Indonesian replacement. Perhaps this might be a series of suggestions of possible "stars" to take on the role that was to formerly be played by Miyabi.

It would seem that the MUI and the FPI could not possibly have a problem with a local starlet taking the lead role in an Indonesian comedy. Furthermore, it would seem that the relevant Minister would not be able to make up some lame excuse that might prevent Julia from getting a visa. Although, stranger things have happened. The film, being a comedy and all, should not run foul of the relevant authorities that are now tasked with ensuring that all Indonesian film meet exacting moral and educational standards.

First cab off the rank, so to speak, is Julia Perez. Ms. Perez has quite a following in Indonesia. At least she does in my anecdotal studies on the issue. She might not be a porn star of the magnitude of Miyabi, but nonetheless she does have the image of being a bit of a sexy rebel (unfortunately this is usually without a cause). Simply, suggestion one; "Kidnapping Julia".

I think it is a surefire hit. Just so you can see why, I have included a few "promotional" shots (all pictures freely available on the internet).

Suggestion two...stay tuned! I am thinking Jade Marcella...

Maria Ozawa In Kidnapping Miyabi -- Cancelled

The reason for another Maria Ozawa (AKA Miyabi) post is simple. It allows me the opportunity to post a few more pictures (all freely available on the Internet) of her under the guise of a more serious discussion on the pros and cons of bowing to pressure from special interest religious groups.

Into the substance...

It seems that Maxima Pictures came under government pressure to abandon the idea of using Maria Ozawa in the lead role of the film "Kidnapping Miyabi". This is in spite of assurances from Maxima that they saw no reason to bow to any pressure despite the uproar and protests that ensued once it was announced that the Japanese porn star would be playing herself in the lead role.

The film is a comedy. Loosely the story is of a couple of horny college students with a Miyabi fetish deciding to kidnap her while she is on holiday in Indonesia. I am not sure that the premise of the film is all that good, but to each their own with respect to what sort of films one wants to make, and even more so with respect to what films people want to watch.

However, it would seem that the Indonesian Council of Ulemas (Majelis Ulama Indonesia / MUI) and the Islam Defenders Front (Front Pembela Islam / FPI) have coopted the Minister of Culture and Tourism to jump on board and pressure Maxima Pictures into retreating from their original plan. I wonder if this is a sign of things to come once the new film law gets up an running (assuming it survives in tact after any Constitutional Court challenge to its constitutionality).

The whole idea of the film Kidnapping Miyabi is to have Maria Ozawa in the lead role. The film just would not seem to work if you had an Indonesian actress playing the lead role. It would not work even if that Indonesian actress was a porn star in her own right. If Miyabi was to be replaced with one of Indonesia's more famous porn starlets, such as Jade Marcella, then the film may as well be entitled Kidnapping Jade. Maybe that is the way to go for Maxima.

However, it would be a reasonable guess to say that the MUI and the FPI would undoubtedly have a problem or two with that scenario as well.

In a more general sense, does this decision mean that foreign porn stars cannot even travel to Indonesia as tourists? Or is it just a simple case of foreign porn stars cannot be sponsored to work in Indonesia in any capacity even if it does not relate to their regular income generating employment? This is particularly so if the sponsored employment does not involve them "performing" their standard roles.

I wonder what does more harm to Indonesia's standing and reputation in the world; a Japanese porn actress acting in a comedy or the ongoing institutionalized corruption that plagues business and government or, perhaps, a regional ordinance that permits the stoning of adulterers and the caning of homosexuals?

A bit of a no brainer when you think about it.

Miyabi / Maria Ozawa and the FPI -- Pornography, Morality, and Comedy...

It seems there are always plenty of people about looking for a controversy to jump into, and if there is not one available to jump into, then make one up. This is the Miyabi controversy. Maria Ozawa goes by the stage name of Miyabi. She is a porn actress, and apparently she is pretty good at what she does. However, she is now looking to branch out and test her acting skills in more mainstream films. She has recently done a slasher / horror film in Taiwan. And, she has signed on to do a comedy in Indonesia, Kidnapping Miyabi.

The premise of the film seems a little silly to me; several horny blokes who have probably "choked" the proverbial chicken one too many times, and when they learn that Miyabi happens to be in Indonesia they set out to kidnap her. You never know, it might work. It will undoubtedly be popular because there are seemingly a whole lot of Indonesians who are familiar with her previous work, and those that were not so familiar with it, are sure to be now.

Anyways, the fact that a Japanese porn star is coming to Indonesia to play a role in a comedy film has irked the usual suspects. The MUI has come out and said that allowing her to come to Indonesia in any capacity to play a role in a film is going to destroy Indonesia's image overseas (I have written about that here and posted a few pictures for your viewing pleasure). Perhaps the MUI might want to have a look a little closer to home to gauge what sort of image destroying material is floating around. Stoning adulterers is probably not a big winner in the image stakes.

To add to the MUI's protests, the Islam Defenders Front or Fron Pembela Islam (FPI) assembled some of their devotees and staged a protest in front of the offices of Maxima Pictures. Maxima Pictures are the ones that are going to shoot and produce the film. It would seem that FPI's beef is that Miyabi is the destroyer of morality. Once again, he who is perfect may cast the first stone. Considering, the number of Indonesian IPs that have swung by this particular blog in search of Miyabi pictures and links to her films is testament to a rather large Indonesian following.

It seems that the FPI would be conducive to the film going ahead if Miyabi was replaced with another actress. Presumably one without any porn on her resume. But, seeing the premise of the script seems to be based on Miyabi having fame as a porn actress then perhaps FPI is lobbying for an Indonesian porn actress to take up the role. Maybe Maxima Pictures could change the name to Kidnapping Jade Marcella.

Maxima entertained the protesters by agreeing to meet with their leader, Habib Fahri Jamalullail, of the Jakarta Branch of FPI. However, the FPI left about 15 minutes later somewhat disappointed, as Maxima refused to say that they would abide by the demands of the FPI and cancel any agreements with Maria Ozawa with respect to her appearing in the film.

Not to be deterred, Fahri is prepared to go to the airport and "intercept" her arrival. Sounds a little bit extreme, it also sounds a little bit scary, and it sounds somewhat illegal to be intercepting foreigners arriving legally into the country.

Fahri is concerned that Miyabi has violated religious prohibitions by doing what she does for a living. Unfortunately, being a porn actress per se does not prohibit one from entering the country, particularly when one considers that she will not be making any porn films while she is here. It is probably forbidden to watch porn films as well. However, this does not seem to stop everyone. Once again, it seems that there are quite a few Indonesians with a voracious appetite for porn, and for Miyabi in particular.

In any event, and the FPI protests aside, according to Maxima it is still not clear if and when Miyabi will be arriving. Apparently, there have been a few bureaucratic issues arise that are still to be sorted out.

With respect to the protests, Maxima is considering relocating the shoot out of Jakarta, perhaps to Bali, or going further abroad still and shooting the film overseas. This is sad because the shooting of a film and the subsequent post-production are normally fairly big contributors to the local economy where the film is shot.

Not that I am inclined to watch the film anyway, but I do hope that Maxima sticks to its guns and shoots the film with Miyabi / Maria Ozawa in the lead role and playing herself.

In any event, the post lends itself to some gratuitous posting of pictures.

Enjoy!

More Maria Ozawa (AKA Miyabi) and Her Non-Porn Film Career...

I am a sucker for site visitors, not. But, I could not but help noticing that my blog stats as they relate to visitors searching for particular material and visiting certain pages highlighted that there are a lot of people out there searching for Maria Ozawa and Miyabi. It is also worth noting that the majority of these are from Indonesian IPs.

It seems that Mari Ozawa, the Japanese porn star with Japanese - Canadian heritage, courts as much controversy in keeping her clothes on as she does taking them off. However, this is probably because more people would prefer to see her with her clothes off.

Nevertheless, it appears that Miyabi might be trying to construct a non-porn film career. "Kidnapping Miyabi" is her second clothed film (some might say mainstream film, but who am I to judge) after last year's "Invitation Only", a Taiwanese slasher / horror film.

Now, Kidnapping Miyabi has a very basic story line, Miyabi is in Indonesia as a tourist where some infatuated undergraduates decide to kidnap her. The film has all the potential to become a porn flick. Let's face it these undergraduates are infatuated with Miyabi for one reason only; they have watched all her porno films and have probably self-gratified during a few of them, and on seeing her in the flesh, real life flesh, they figured they probably would not mind a few rounds themselves.

Admittedly, I have not seen the script, and I am unlikely to be bothered watching the film when it comes out. The whole premise seems a little silly to me. Maybe I am just getting old, but there is probably a reason why big name porn stars have not been able to successfully cross over into mainstream films. Perhaps Ron Jeremy or Traci Lords have a view or two on this. But, it seems that for most porn stars they lose their allure and charm when they have their gear on.

Although, to be fair to Lords, she has appeared in a number of mainstream movies and TV shows, such as Tommyknockers, Married...with Children, and MacGyver, among others. Ron Jeremy has also done some non-porn stuff that has tended to capitalize on his porn star fame like: Fuck: A Fuckumentary.

So, to all my happy Miyabi searchers, this one is for you.

Enjoy!

Maria Ozawa, Miyabi, Indonesia, and the MUI

On the completely unimportant news front, Maria Ozawa, or as she is better known, Miyabi (all images freely available on the internet), has made a trip to Indonesia and is to appear in a film. Now, before you get all hot and bothered, and despite her claim to fame as a recognized porn film star from Japan, the film is not to be porn. That said, the title of the film is "Kidnap Miyabi." So, perhaps the Indonesian producers of the film are capitalizing on her fame as a porn star.

I wonder would this film contravene the provisions of the new film law?

Nevertheless, the Indonesian Ulema Council (Majelis Ulama Indonesia / MUI) an organization that considers itself as spokesperson for all things Islam and Muslim, has decided that Maria Ozawa appearing in an Indonesian film is going to damage Indonesia's standing in the rest of the world. Although, I would have thought that any damage in the eyes of God might have been something more to fear.

It is a little bizarre that the MUI is worried that a Japanese porn star is going to damage Indonesia's standing in the world community, but seem less worried, or actually not worried at all, that the passage of regional legislation in Aceh that permits stoning of adulterers is not going to damage Indonesia's standing.

It would seem that the MUI is worried what message this sends to the world community, namely: that Indonesia has to import porn stars to appear in Indonesian non-porn films. Besides, it is not like Indonesia does not have some home grown porn stars that it could have turned to for this role, is it?