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Bali’s provincial governor has no intention of enforcing a controversial antiporn law, which passed last year, because it conflicts with local culture and tradition.

“As long as I am the governor of Bali, I, along with the head of the provincial government in Bali, have stated that we will not enforce this law,” said Governor I Made Mangku Pastika, adding that the law was “not appropriate for the people of Bali.”

He said the most serious effect of the law would be its impact on Bali’s culture and traditional art, which includes nude statues and often sexually explicit imagery.

The new law, which created much confusion over what would be considered pornographic, was opposed by religious minorities but backed by Islamist political parties allied to President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

“The artworks and cultural practices of Bali are not in any way meant to be pornographic. They are meant to educate and communicate about the essence of life and existence,” the Bali governor said.

Centuries-old traditions including outdoor bathing would also have to be banned if the law was implemented, added the governor, a former police chief.

He said that he had not been reprimanded by the central government, despite his refusal to implement the law.

Bali’s economy is also heavily dependent on tourism because of its culture, beaches and surfing.

The antiporn law fueled concerns that tourists might be arrested for wearing revealing swimwear, but Pastika said tourists were exempt.

“The impact of the law on our tourism sector will not be significant because tourism has been granted an exception,” he said.

Yudhoyono’s Democratic Party won the parliamentary election in April with one fifth of the votes, and has formed a coalition with several smaller parties including the Islamist Prosperous Justice Party (PKS).

Minority groups warned that the antipornography law — which Yudhoyono signed into law in December — was a sign of creeping conservatism in traditionally pluralist Indonesia.

“However, I am sure that they [Islam-based parties] realize that in a natural democracy and in this current era of reform, PKS and other Islam-based parties will not force their will on others because that conflicts with the era of reformasi [reform],” he said.

While recognizing that he is subordinate to the central government in Jakarta, Pastika said he was beholden to his voters.

“The governor is obligated to listen to the aspirations of the people who chose him. This is also true in the area of law enforcement,” he said.

“The aspirations of the people are the priority in a true democracy, ” the governor said.

“For the people of Bali, it’s not only what’s written but also what’s moral and ethical.”

Reuters