Jakarta – Justice and Human Rights Minister Patrialis Akbar advised foreign visitors on Thursday against going out in public scantily dressed.

"Women from Western countries visiting Indonesia should not go to the market wearing only a bra," Patrialis said at the opening of a national meeting of his ministry's officials in Jakarta.

Patrialis, from the Islamic National Mandate Party (PAN), said that appearing in public with only the bare minimum being covered is not only against local tradition but also demeans the woman.

"Our country holds high moral values and wearing revealing clothes insults the women's dignity," he said as quoted by detik.com.

He did not say why he raised the issue. Neither did he cite instances where he had spotted Westerners going about their business in their underwear.