MISS WORLD PAGEANT BEAUTY CONTEST KICKS OFF IN BALI

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Sept 8 (Antara) - The Miss World 2013 pageant beauty contest kicked off  in  the  Indonesian tourist resort island of Bali on Sunday evening amid controversies and opposition from the country's Islamic mass organizations.          The opening ceremony was highlighted by cultural arts shows such as dances and music performances which accentuated on the Indonesian colors. A total of 16 Miss World contestants performed a fan dance, giving an emphasis on the Indonesian culture.          Clad in a beige-blue color combination dresses with Balinese frangipani flower decoration on their ears, the beautiful contestants appeared agile and flexible in bringing the Indonesian dance, though they only had a brief, seven hour exercise under the direction of choreographer Eko Surpiyanto.           With bare foot on the stage, the beautiful contestants showed talent and beauty, mesmerizing the audience.           Camille Munro, a contestant from Canada, who was interviewed by the MC, Daniel Manata, claimed that she was now able to learn Indonesian dances even if she had been only several days in Indonesia.           "I am very pleased with this. The others are also delighted. This is a combination of Sumatran, Balinese, Javanese and Maluku culture," she said.           The opening of the Miss World 2013 beauty contest was also marked with singer Novita Dewi, a winner of the X-Factor talent-singer contest.             Novita presented the song of 'Tanah Airku' (my homeland) together with 'seriosa' semi classical music singer Kristianto.           Other cultural dance presentation was the 'Kecak' dance performed by 150 child dancers under the direction of artist Ketut Rena.           The 'Kecak dance' was able to mesmerize hundreds of on-lookers as if it were giving a magic value to the world's pageant beauty event.           Lea Simanjuntak's golden voice with the Balinese special 'Janger' song accentuated the Indonesian cultural impression.           A number of musicians from Jakarta such as those grouped in the 'Ungu' and 'New Dimension" bands also highlighted the opening of the Miss World event.           A total of 129 contestants from across the world are taking part in the pageant beauty contest.          The local government hoped that the event would help promote Bali's tourism and Indonesia in general. "The holding of the Miss World beauty pageant would bring Indonesia and especially Bali to international forum," Bali Governor Made Mangku Pastika said on the sidelines of the opening of the event.          He said the event would promote Indonesia's tourism and culture and so he appealed to people to make it successful.      The governor said earlier the Miss World beauty contest on the island would increase the number of tourists coming to the island.  "I am convinced that Miss World would give a positive effect to tourism not only in Bali but also in Indonesia in general. This is an international event. They certainly will follow rules in the region that would be used for the event," he said.          He said the participants are like foreigners who come to the island for a conference. This event will also bring financial benefit to Bali and so why it must be made into a problem, he said.          While the opening of the beauty contest was taking place, the security at Bali International Convention Center (BICC) at Hotel Westin in Nusa Dua, which is the location of the event was tightened with hundreds of policemen seen guarding it.          Several national figures were seen attending the opening of the event such as Irman Gusman, the chairman of the Regional Representatives Council, Wiranto, the general chairman of the Hanura Party, Dewi Motik, the chairperson of the Indonesia Women's Congress and a number of celebrities such as singer Krisdayanti, Alexadra Gotardo and others.          The government recently decided to move the final round of the event from Jakarta to Bali due to protests from a number of Islamic organizations.         "We have revised the security permit (allowing) it to be held completely in Bali. So changes have been made with regard to Miss World activities according to what the public wanted and the development interests of Indonesian tourism. So the event will proceed, but only in Bali," coordinating minister for people's welfare, Agung Laksono, said at a press conference at the residence of vice president Boediono on Saturday afternoon.          Initially, the contest was scheduled to be held in Bali on September 8, with its final round in Sentul, Bogor, West Java.          Several Islamic organizations, however, have expressed their opposition to the holding of the event in Indonesia.      Hard-liners Islamic Defenders Front (FPI),  Hizbut Tahrir Indonesia (HTI) and the Indonesian Ulemas Council (MUI) have rejected the pageant beauty contest. A group of 11 Islamic social organizations has also rejected the plan to hold the Miss World contest in Bali saying it is against the national morals and culture.         The organizations grouped in the Friendship Institution of  Islamic Mass Organizations (LPOI) also rejected the event in a statement after a meeting of their leaders at the Nahdatul Ulama (NU) office on Wednesday. NU is the largest Islamic mass organization in Indonesia with members over 30 million.         Firm rejection also came from the Indonesian Ulemas Council (MUI). "After closely observing and studying carefully those who are against and in favor of the Miss World 2013 in Indonesia, MUI hereby states its rejection to it," MUI's head of foreign affairs, Muhyiddin Junaidi, said    One of the considerations to reject the event is Surah Al Ahzab 50 of the Quran that orders women to wear veils.         "There are also various hadiths that state that all parts of the women's body must be covered except hands and face," he said.          Seeing the opposition, Mustofa B Narawirdaya, an activist from the country's second largest Muslim organization, Muhammadiyah, urged the minister of religious affairs to hold an emergency meeting to discuss the matter.          "In order to protect Muslims from the attack of the 'nude culture' called Miss World 2013, the religious affairs minister should hold an emergency meeting," said in a press statement made available to Antara here on Saturday.           He said if the minister organized an emergency meeting, all Islamic organizations could express their opinions about the pageant.           "The emergency meeting should be held immediately upon four grounds, namely the event will imminently be held, almost all Islamic organizations have raised their objections, the event has the potential to spark civil war and the organizers tend to disregard the values of the Pancasila Philosophy, the 1945 Constitution, the unity in diversity principle, and the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia," Mustofa said.          Regardless of the protest, the organizers are determined to go ahead with the contest. The Miss World 2013 beauty pageant will go on as scheduled despite protests, they said.         "Any event might draw support and protests. This event will promote Indonesia. We remain on schedule. We appeal for support, because this is not for personal interests, but for Indonesia," Miss World Indonesia chairperson Liliana Tanoesoedibjo said in a press statement on Saturday.***4*** (T.A014/A014) (T.A014/A/A. Abdussalam/A. Abdussalam) 08-09-2013 23:46: