Indonesian official rejects Miss World

An Indonesian rights commissioner joins the opposition against hosting the Miss World contest, saying the country should protect youth from being “poisoned” by foreign influences. The UK-based organizers of the beauty pageant face opposition from Islamic hardline groups in the world’s biggest Muslim-majority nation, even after they agreed to scrap bikinis in the beachwear round and use traditional sarongs. Commissioner Maneger Nasution says, “We should not put women’s bodies on display like a storefront, as if they are nothing but a commercial product.” Police on the resort island of Bali, where the activities begin on September 8, deploy 1,000 officers to secure the event and escort contestants. The final will be held on September 28 on the outskirts of the capital Jakarta. Bali Governor I Made Mangku Pastika defends the event, saying there was “no good reason to reject the Miss World contest,” adding the event would promote tourism.

Read more on Rappler.