Anita Rachman & Mark Moloney, Jakarta – It has become the handshake seen and discussed around the world.
From comedians to porn stars it seems everyone wants to talk about Communication and Information Technology Minister Tifatul Sembiring and his now-famous handshake with Michelle Obama.
Everyone that is but the minister's political party, the Islamist Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), which would prefer the whole thing just went away.
Having tweeted at one time that he would never touch a woman he was not related or married to, video footage showed Tifatul eagerly leaning forward to accept the hand of the US first lady, even bowing deferentially.
But PKS secretary general Anis Matta wants to know why there is a ruckus over such an unimportant matter. "These debates are not substantial at all. Why not talk about something more important about Obama's visit instead of this handshaking thing?" he said.
Anis said Indonesians should be discussing how President Obama's visit had failed to deliver anything of benefit to the country. He cited the $10 billion trade deal Obama announced during his stop in India.
"While here, what did we get? Did he sign something [that will benefit us]? All he left us with was this handshake debate," he said.
Showing once again his love for tweeting, Tifatul, a member of the PKS advisory board, elaborated on the handshake in 14 separate tweets on his official Twitter account.
But the minister's tweets seem to have done little but further muddy the issue. At one point he indicated he would make an exception to his no-handshaking rule for people who would not understand his attitude.
He then went on to tweet: "I stand by my position. I will not change my point of view. I will not shake the hand of a woman I am not related to."
Stephen Colbert, a topical satirical comedian in the United States, devoted a segment of his show to pointing out the minister's about-turn on his previous comments, and subsequent defense of his actions.
On the popular television show, Colbert states sarcastically that he understands Tifatul's trepidation at touching the first lady's hand and that it is tantamount to touching another erogenous zone on a woman's body. He jokes, "What are knuckles but finger-boobs?"
Colbert highlights that Indonesians flocked to Facebook and Twitter to scold Tifatul for his "hypocritical behavior." He also lays into the minister over his defense of the handshake by reading Tifatul's Twitter explanation in mocking tones.
"I tried to prevent [being touched] but Mrs. Michelle held her hands too far toward me so we touched," Tifatul tweeted afterward in an attempt to quell the growing swell of disdain. Colbert then says to howls of laughter from the studio audience that "it was totally her fault. Totally her fault!'
The Huffington Post and Gawker.com also ran pieces questioning the minister's integrity and suitability as a public figure in articles that will cast shadows over Tifatul's already sullied political profile.
International porn star Vicky Vette joined the fray on Tuesday evening when she asked Tifatul on his official Twitter account: "Do you like it fast, slow, with a firm grip or maybe both hands? You can touch me in public anytime you want cutie."
A PKS member said the comments by the local and international media should be taken as valuable input. House lawmaker Nabiel al Musawa, who is also a lecturer at the Bogor Institute of Agriculture, said he hoped Tifatul would take time to conduct some introspection, and try to understand the snowballing effect of Twitter.
"Possibly all this tweeting is promoting Tifatul's profile to an international audience," he said. "Once you reply to a tweet, it will never stop. The PKS should know this. They are a big party now. We must be able to accept different cultures. The PKS should not risk its reputation over this incident."
Mahfudz Siddiq, the PKS deputy secretary general for communication and information, said the party would not bother itself over the issue. "Let it be his business as a minister. He has his own team there. The PKS doesn't want to be busied with something as trivial as this," he said.
Mahfudz said the PKS encouraged members to use social networking to communicate and promote the party's mission. He added the party would continue to guide members in how to use the technology wisely.