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Indonesian hard-liners outraged by Japanese porn star

Source
Jakarta Globe - October 9, 2009

Azis Edward – About 50 members of the Islam Defenders Front went to the office of Maxima Pictures on Friday to protest the planned involvement of porn star Maria Ozawa, better known as Miyabi, in the movie "Menculik Miyabi" ("Kidnapping Miyabi").

After praying at Nurul Abror Mosque in Mangga Dua, West Jakarta, the members of the front, or FPI, proceeded to the office of Maxima Pictures at the Ibis Business Complex, also in Mangga Dua, carrying placards and shouting: "Allahu akbar [God is the greatest]! Miyabi, destroyer of morality!"

Several FPI representatives, led by Habib Fahri Jamalullail, deputy chief of the group's Jakarta branch, later entered the office to meet with Maxima executives. Fahri said Maxima's plan to bring Miyabi to Jakarta threatened to undermine the morality of the Indonesian people.

"We can't let Miyabi come to Indonesia. We will ask Maxima to replace her with another actress," Fahri said before the start of the meeting.

After about 15 minutes, the FPI representatives emerged from the office, expressing disappointment that the company had failed to give a conclusive response to their demand.

Fahri said if Maxima failed to cancel Miyabi's visit to Jakarta, the FPI would intercept the actress at the airport. "We will accost her at Soekarno-Hatta airport," he said.

Despite a government regulation that allows foreigners to enter Jakarta as long as they do not have a criminal record, Fahri said the FPI would still protest her visit. "Miyabi is a person who has desecrated religion because what she does is forbidden," he said.

Maxima, in a news conference at its office after the rally, said it would take the FPI's complaints into consideration in reviewing the production of "Menculik Miyabi."

The film's producer, Oddi Mulya Hidayat, said that while he respected the FPI's right to protest, he was unable to say whether Miyabi's participation in the movie would be canceled. "We have to analyze it from a number of different angles because we're running a business here," he said.

However, Oddi did say that Maxima was still unable to confirm that Miyabi would be arriving in Indonesia because of bureaucratic obstacles. "To get Miyabi here is a difficult process. So far, only 80 percent of the administrative issues [are settled]," he said.

Oddi said that as long as it was legal, Maxima would insist on casting Miyabi, but added that the production would be relocated out of Jakarta. "We will change the location. It could be out of the country, or in Bali," he said.

He said in a last-case scenario, Maxima would consider replacing Miyabi with another actress if that was the only way to get the production done.

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