Dangdut is no porn!?

JAKARTA - Traditional Indonesian dances and clothing like the koteka, which is used in eastern Indonesia, are not pornography. Because they are not, they also are not bothered by the anti-pornography law that was adopted by the Indonesian parliament in 2008. The constitutional court has decided this yesterday.

The parliament wanted to use the law to protect the youth against immoral acts in the country, which has a majority of Islamic residents. But the law defined pornography pretty unclear, so statues near Hindu temples, the koteka of the Papua's and the well-known dances on Java would be outlawed as well.

Judges have now stopped that nonsense. "Traditional dances and clothing can not be seen as pornography because they are a integral part of the Indonesian cultures," said the court. The court was not clear however on what was a traditional dance in the first place.

The still very popular dangdut is also Indonesian culture, but whether those sexy singers can wear super short skirts and tight shirts again is still a question mark. But the court also didn't decide that 'religious dances' in mainly white dress and face-covering materials, often held at busy intersections in cities, would be banned. In fact they should, because such outfits are no part of Indonesian popular culture.

Dangdut singer Dewi Persik in better times.