The protesters, dressed in black, and some driving motorbikes, gathered at
Jakarta's main downtown roundabout, about a week after the same number of
people demonstrated against the bill.
The proposed law has sparked anger across the sprawling nation of 220 million
people where 90 per cent are Muslims, mostly moderate. It is pitting supporters
of free speech against a growing group of orthodox Muslims who want Shariah, or
Islamic law, in Indonesia.
If adopted in its current form, it would ban poetry, drawing, writing, photos
or film "which expose the movement of certain body parts which are sensual."
Violators could face a maximum prison term of up to 15 years and penalties of
up to one billion rupiah (about HK$880,527) including a five-year prison term
for kissing on the lips in public.
It also could prohibit dancing and partial nudity in several provinces, such as
Bali, where tourists are drawn to the resort island's beaches and nightlife,
and Papua, where women dance topless in local traditions.
Thursday's demonstrators called on leaders to impose the law sooner to prevent
"public displays of women's sensuality."
"We support the bill because it could protect the moral of the people," said Mr
Sarkawi, a protest organiser who uses only one name.
Although most of the nation's Muslims are moderate, some Islamic-based
political parties say globalisation is chipping away at the country's moral
fibre and have dusted off an anti-pornography bill that was originally drafted
in 1999.
It is currently being considered by a special parliamentary committee.
South China Morning Post
