Islamist Group Threatens Miss World Pageant to be Held in Indonesia

Hardline Muslim group threatens to shut down Indonesia’s Miss World
pageant




By Indonesia correspondent George Roberts – ABC News Australia
Updated Sat Jun 8, 2013 12:11pm AEST


Hardline Islamists in Indonesia have vowed to use force to shut
down the Miss World beauty pageant, despite organisers agreeing to remove the
bikini section.

The Miss World 2013 contest is expected to be held at
the Sentul International Convention Center in Bogor, outside Jakarta, on
September 28th. Last year, protesters successfully forced Lady Gaga to cancel
the Indonesia leg of her world tour.

The Miss World final will be held in Bogor, south
of Jakarta, later this year. But the event has caused an outcry from radical
Muslim groups who are demanding the event be axed.

One hardline group, called Garis, says the beauty
contest is too American and is not suitable for Indonesia, which is home to the
world’s largest Muslim population. Organisers tried to appease the radical
groups by removing the swimwear section of the competition.

But Chep Hernawan from Garis says that is not
enough. “We will disband the event, nicely at first or with force if they
insist. You can elaborate that statement yourself,” he said.

“The Miss World pageant… will affect the future
generation, their morality and characters will be destroyed.

“Because the cultures paraded by this pageant are
the cultures of America. [They're] Western cultures. We want the culture of the
East here in Indonesia.

“The committee of this pageant should not force
their will on us, because if they do, they will experience losses, material
losses and other loses.

“They should not force their will [on us].

“Whether we like it or not, when there’s an event
like this pageant… the media will cover it and the media will make a big deal of
it, thus affecting the future of the younger generation.

“I don’t believe the press won’t make a big deal
out of it.”

Radical Muslim groups in Indonesia are known to
hold violent protests and raid businesses that offend their views.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/hardline-muslim-group-threatens-shut-225622516.html

why they even bother having/hosting the contest in countries/cities like this one where u have all these groups that are against the pageant? there are so many beautiful countries and cities around the world that would be more than happy to host the pageant!!! tell them to go and f off and choose a more open minded country.

I agree. If I were a family member or a boyfriend of one of the contestants, I would be concerned for their safety. I would also be hesitant to travel to the show.

Indonesian Muslim clerics lash out at Miss World
Published August 23, 2013
AFP

• 
  Chinese Miss World 2012 Wenxia Yu poses on September 26, 2012 in Paris. Indonesia's top Islamic authority lashed out Friday at the country's decision to host the Miss World beauty pageant next month, saying that women exposing their bodies went against Muslim teaching. (AFP/File)
  

JAKARTA (AFP) –  Indonesia's top Islamic authority lashed out Friday at the country's decision to host the Miss World beauty pageant next month, saying that women exposing their bodies went against Muslim teaching.
The pageant is already facing opposition in Muslim-majority Indonesia, with radicals vowing to stage protests against the contest even after organisers agreed to drop the bikini round in a bid to avoid causing offence.
The Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) added its voice to the protests Friday, saying a top-level meeting of clerics earlier this month decided it did not want the pageant in the country.
"Exposing women's bodies in public is 'haram', forbidden by Islamic teaching," senior MUI official Muhyiddin Junaidi told reporters in the capital Jakarta.
"Even though the bikini event is being axed, the contestants will still wear tight dresses and expose parts of their body."
The group also urged the country's Muslims, more than 90 percent of the 240 million population, not to watch the pageant on television.
"The contest tries to trick people by saying that it's not only a physical beauty contest but also to show inner beauty," said deputy MUI head, Amirsyah Tambunan.
Junaidi said that the MUI had now made its position clear, and it was up to authorities whether they decided to cancel the pageant.
While most Indonesians practise a moderate form of Islam, a vocal hardline fringe has succeeded in getting events cancelled in the past.
Last year, pop sensation Lady Gaga axed a concert after hardliners threatened to burn down the venue and criticised her for wearing only "a bra and panties".
More than 130 women will compete in Miss World, with some rounds on the resort island of Bali and the final in Bogor outside Jakarta. Bogor is in West Java province, parts of which are considered a stronghold for radicals.
Organisers revealed in June that the contestants would not wear bikinis during the beach fashion section, to be held in Bali, and would instead wear more conservative attire such as traditional sarongs.


Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/world/2013/08/23/indonesian-muslim-clerics-lash-out-at-miss-world/#ixzz2cqDpD100

This is just another attempt from Julia Morley to be the new Mother Teresa, who can get people together from all over the world in the name of Peace.

"Look, Miss World, my precious pageant was held in Indonesia, we are at peace.... always"

Well, it clear that ain't gonna happen. So Julia, no you will not get positive media coverage with this to your pageant, youre not Mother Teresa and you are not gonna get the Nobel Peace Prizw. Just move the pageant to London!!!!!

That is so sad! I remember in 1996 and in 2002 Miss World had the exact same issuses!
Last night during the voting for the 2020 Olympic Gamess I was praying that Istanbul won't win so that we don't have the same problems!
Such fanatism makes me really unsure for our future!
These pics are from demonsrations in London and Athens!!