Margareth S. Aritonang, Jakarta – Tourism and Creative Economy Ministry has given support to US singer Lady Gaga's planned performance in the capital on June 3, with an official saying that its recommendation that a concert permit be issued has been sent the National Police.
The ministry's director general for cultural value, arts and film, Ukus Kuswara, said Thursday that the government had given "its blessing" for the concert to go on as scheduled.
"We issued our recommendation to the National Police for the planned concert to go on as scheduled last week," he said, as quoted by tempo.co.
He said the concert promoter, Big Daddy Entertainment, had asked the ministry to issue a recommendation to the National Police so that the law enforcement agency would issue a concert permit for the American diva.
The National Police said Monday that the promoter must get recommendations from the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) and the Religious Affairs Ministry before they would issue a concert permit. Both parties refused to issue the recommendations.
The National Police also demanded recommendations from the Tourism Ministry, the Home Affairs Ministry and the Director General of Immigration and the Manpower and Transmigration Ministry.
The Manpower and Transmigration Ministry says it has no problem issuing a work permit for Lady Gaga under the condition that she goes through the required legal procedures.
"The ministry will issue its permit for foreign workers (TKA) according to procedure. It will not discriminate, so long as the proper procedure was followed," Manpower and Transmigration Minister Muhaimin Iskandar said, as quoted by tribunnews.com. "Every one is treated equally, regardless of whether the TKA is a famous artist, a soccer player or a regular worker."
Nevertheless, Muhaimin said that he hoped Gaga would respect Indonesian culture, by making sure that her lyrics, clothes and stage actions will not offend.
Meanwhile, ministry representative Reyna Usman said that the work-permit issuing process for Gaga had so far run smoothly and was currently entering its final phase.
Meanwhile, the United States says it believes that as a democracy, Indonesia will eventually let US pop singer Lady Gaga perform in Jakarta despite opposition from several groups.
"This is a matter for Indonesia to decide. Our hope would be of course that it's the Indonesian community as a whole to be heard on the views and not the views of a small group," US Ambassador Scot Marciel told reporters on Wednesday at the House of Representatives.
"The US believes in freedom of expression and tolerance. And you know I think that Indonesia as I said has a long tradition of support for freedom of expression and tolerance as well," he said.
He said concerns arose more on minority groups that had not been protected against "some groups that are intolerant".
When asked whether the US had interfered with the permit issue, Marciel said: "Well, we had our people with the security talking about the security side of it [the concert]. That's true indeed." "But otherwise we have not been engaged with the police on this [permit]." (asa)