JAKARTA (Reuters):
COUPLES CAUGHT kissing passionately in public in Indonesia could spend five years in jail.
Members of parliament in the world's most populous Muslim country have proposed an anti-pornography bill that includes a ban on kissing on the mouth in public.
"I think there must be some restrictions on such acts because it is against our traditions of decency," said Aisyah Hamid Baidlowi, head of a parliamentary committee drafting the bill.
Heavy kissing could carry a maximum penalty of five years
in jail or a 250 million rupiah ($29,000) fine. Anyone caught flashing would face similar
penalties.
The bill also proposes bans on public nudity, erotic dances and sex parties, with jail terms ranging from three to 10 years. Watching such shows could lead to two years behind bars.
Indonesians have long followed a moderate version of Islam, although an emphasis on Muslim practices and identification with Islamic traditions have grown stronger in recent years.
Public displays of affection are frowned upon by many, though prostitution is rampant in many parts of the archipelago.
