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When the pornography bill was on the verge of being enacted, many people worried that if it were passed, there would be multiple interpretations of the provisions made in the law.

That concern has proved warranted by the fact of a recent unilateral interpretation from the governor of West Java Province, who asked Jaipongan dancers to pay attention to the way they dress and to limit their moves, thus making it less erotic.

Although the head of the provincial Culture and Tourism Agency, Herdiwan Iing Suranta, played down the notion that the provincial government had banned Jaipongan dance or other erotic dances and said that the governor’s statement was just a form of concern that a number of art forms in West Java would be affected by the antipornography law, it nevertheless created unrest, especially among art performers.

Dewi Gita, a singer and dancer from Bandung, has said: “Jaipongan has nothing to do with pornography. It’s merely a cultural expression.”

Jaipongan dance experienced its heyday in the 1980s and 1990s. One of its most famous dancers was Camelia Malik.

At the time, there was no objection — either from society or from the government — to jaipongan dance performances at cultural events such as wedding receptions, birthdays and other commemorations. That is why it is very confusing that now the governor of West Java is giving advice on how to dress and perform, changing the very elements of Jaipongan dance.

Jaipongan dance developed in West Java from ketuk tilu and pencak silat dance and martial art traditions, which were part of the Sundanese culture.

Even if it was only a piece of advice and not a form of prohibition, it should be noted that such advice was subjective, unilateral and groundless.

Limitations on how to dress and move may hamper the development of Jaipongan dance and lead people to lose interest in it. In the eyes of Nanur Munajar, the head of the Bandung Dance Association, limitation to artistic space or reduction in the quality of dance moves in Jaipongan is the same as eliminating the dance itself.

The dance moves that were asked to be checked and controlled are what the Sundanese call gitek , close to the word goyang , or “shake” in Bahasa Indonesian.

A work of art should not be banned, as per the antipornography law that states that it respects, protects and preserves art and culture — the customs and religious rituals of a diverse Indonesian society.

Jaipongan dance itself is a proud traditional Sundanese art that has been performed everywhere in the country and even abroad. Let us hope this does not happen to other dances. Whether a dance is erotic or not is subjective, depending on those who see it.

Every dance has a unique move that becomes the “signature” of the dance. Javanese and Balinese dances have their own unique moves and so do other dances throughout Indonesia.

For example, belly dancing in countries in the Middle East, especially in Egypt, has never been banned by the government. We have never heard of belly dancing as being considered pornography because it is well-known as an artistic dance.

The same goes for the hula dance in Hawaii which is seen as art and not something erotic. Everything is seen from who sees it and how they see it.

The popular axiom remains true that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. This relates closely to the concern with the definition of pornography in the law.

Wahyu Wicaksono, a social psychologist, wrote in Kompas daily that “the management of the body” and its perception should be left to each individual.”

In the United States, which has felt its way through the process of democracy for longer than Indonesia, there has been a open debate and public objection to pictures or photographs showing mothers breast-feeding that are deemed obscene and improper. The objections are also addressed to mothers’ breast-feeding in public which, according to those in favor of breast-feeding, is a natural necessity for the development and health of the baby. Moreover, seen from the mother-child psychological standpoint, the baby will get more warmth and love from its mother than from a milk bottle, which provides neither.

Eventually the prohibition failed and the pictures and practices of breast-feeding continue because according to its supporters, breast-feeding has nothing to do with sexuality.

From the above comparisons, it can be concluded that the idea of pornography may cause different perceptions and interpretations and potentially result in prolonged debate.

Because pornography has now been made illegal, its violation may result in sanctions for the perpetrators.

Meanwhile, sketches, illustrations, photographs, writings, voices, sounds, motion pictures, animation, cartoons, conversations, body language or other forms of communication in various forms of media communication and or performance in front of the public that are deemed pornography are very subjective and depend on the people who judge them.

It is thus appropriate that there be a judicial review on the antipornography law.

Let us hope that the antipornography law was not enacted merely for political reasons as we approach the upcoming legislative and presidential elections, but based on a good intentions.



The author is a lecturer at Pelita Harapan University’s school of law.