Farouk Arnaz & Markus Junianto Sihaloho – The National Police revised its stance on the Lady Gaga concert on Monday, saying it might issue the permit the show needs to go on.
National Police spokesman Insp. Gen. Saud Usman Nasution said that if the promoter could get recommendations from the concert venue and the Tourism and Creative Economy Ministry, as well as prove it was a legal entity, the National Police would issue the permit. "As long as it meets those three requirements, [the concert] will be staged," Saud said.
Last week, the National Police said it would not issue the permit, citing the Jakarta Police's refusal to give its own recommendation for it. The Jakarta Police had cited public opposition to Lady Gaga and safety concerns after eight groups, including the hard-line Islamic Defenders Front (FPI), announced their opposition to the singer.
But on Monday, Saud did not mention the Jakarta Police's recommendation as one of the requirements needed for the permit. "If they fulfill the requirements, National Police will handle the recommendation from the Home Affairs Ministry, Religious Affairs Ministry and MUI (Indonesian Council of Ulema)," he said.
The Jakarta Police said on Monday that while it still wasn't giving its recommendation, if the National Police decided the issue the permit, it would comply with that decision and secure the concert. "We have to be ready to do our duty, including securing the concert if it is allowed," Jakarta Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Rikwanto said.
Rikwanto added that the only reason the Jakarta Police hadn't given its recommendation was because the promoter, Big Daddy, had failed to include all the necessary paperwork when it applied for the permit. That was a departure from comments he made last week about the FPI and safety concerns.
The police's about-face follows Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Djoko Suyantoko's announcement on Friday that all parties involved should try to reach some kind of compromise, which could involve certain requirements about Lady Gaga's lyrics, choreography and appearance.
On Monday, Saud said that if Lady Gaga was polite and guaranteed she would not do anything vulgar, there would be no problem having her perform in Indonesia.
The promoter has until three days before the concert, scheduled for June 3, to get the permit, Saud said. Home Affairs Ministry Gamawan Fauzi took the utilitarian view, saying on Monday that the concert should be allowed as long as it did more good than harm.
"If the benefit is more than the negative impact," the concert should be allowed to go on, Gamawan said. "If the damage is more, it better not, as it would bring losses to our people."
Lady Gaga is set to perform tonight in the Philippines amid planned street protests by conservative Christians there, and with censors in the house on orders to report any hint of blasphemy, devil worship, nudity or lewd conduct.