The Miss Universe contestant from Indonesia, Nadine Chandrawinata, has strutted about in a bikini, to the displeasure of some.

Nadine Chandra Winata, the reigning Miss Indonesia, who was born in Germany but has some Indonesian parentage, appeared in a bikini at a Miss Universe 2006 photo shoot for their annual calendar, despite the fact that she could have chosen to wear a one-piece swimsuit.

Nadine Chandrawinata.

Latifah Iskandar, a parliamentarian from the PAN party was one who let it be known that Indonesian girls should not engage in such activity:

I’m sad that there are still Indonesians like that, at this time wer’e concerned about the issue of pornography. It’s very inappropriate.

The Majelis Ulama Indonesia, MUI, also complained, and went even further, saying that Indonesia should not participate in the contest at all.

The MUI rejects (Miss Universe) primarily because it emphasises beauty and the body. This can be seen in the appearance of the contestants. Secondly, the MUI rejects the clothes they wear.

said one Amidhan of the MUI in Jakarta and he added that a new fatwa was not in the offing because a previous one condemning public indecency and pornography was already sufficient. He advised that a new contest should be set up:

Why not have a contest that doesn’t emphasise beauty but instead ability, intelligence, and spirit as human beings who are moral and religiously observant?

Nadine however was not alone in her choice of the two-piece outfit. Miss Malaysia, Melissa Ann Tan, a girl of Chinese descent, also sported one. Of the 86 finalists who appeared in the swimsuit session only three chose to cover their belly buttons – Misses Serbia, Turks & Caicos and Kazakstan.

Update July 21st

The womens’ wing of the Islamic Defenders Front, the Mujahidah FPI, have reported Nadine Chandrawinata to the police for indecency. FPI lawyer Adnan Assegaf, who accompanied Mujahidah Secretary Noni Supriyanti Budiani, gave the following explanation:

We have reported Nadine Chandrawinata as she has harassed Indonesian women by appearing in vulgar poses at the Miss Universe 2006 contest on behalf of Indonesia.

He added that Nadine’s participation in the event, which is being held in another country, the United States, was against Indonesian culture which, he claims, does not permit women to wear bikinis in public.

Besides Nadine, the FPI, who have been on a recent reporting-to-the-police-spree (see Krisdayanti & Playboy, Playboy the Third, Joanna Alexandra & Fla Priscilla, Andara Early), also reported some people connected with the Miss Indonesia contest and thought to be active supporters of Nadine, namely Mooryati Sudibyo, Wardiman Djojonegoro , Mega Angkasa , Kusuma Dewi and Artika Sari Devi, who the FPI says:

…have supported and financed the departure of Nadine. So they can be charged with engaging and participating in activities forbidden by the law.

The law in question is edict number 02/U/1984 which apparently forbids the holding of beauty contests where they conflict with the moral and religious standards of the people.

Noni Supryanti Budiani explained further:

We didn’t only report Nadine, it’s not fair if we just report her. Don’t allow Nadine to be used anymore.

About 100 Mujahidah loudly demonstrated outside the Jakarta police station where the complaint was filed.

Continued

Nadine says, to Antara, that she is unconcerned about the actions of the FPI back home in Indonesia.

It’s their right if they want to report me to the police. But one thing is for sure – my participation in the Miss Universe contest is to make Indonesia known in the international arena.

She says she is not at all depressed about the matter.

I don’t feel down at all after hearing about it. It just makes me want to advance to the next round even more.

Alas, however, Nadine did not make the cut for the next round of twenty contestants, the news of which caused the dismay and almost visible pain of many in Indonesia, a country where the Miss Universe competition is taken rather seriously indeed and where the performance of the nation’s representative is viewed as a not insignificant matter of national pride.

(Continued at http://www.indonesiamatters.com/597/nadine-chandra/)