Vento Saudale, Bogor – The Bogor chapter of the Indonesian Council of Ulema voiced its opposition on Tuesday to the planned holding of the Miss World 2013 beauty pageant at the city's Sentul International Convention Center.

Though the pageant has already received the endorsement of the general public and West Java Governor Ahmad Heryawan, the ulema council (MUI) stated its firm rejection of the contest.

"If [the pageant] takes place, it will certainly hurt and sully Indonesia's Muslim community," Mukri Aji, the chapter's chairman, said.

Mukri argued that the beauty contest was just an excuse to flaunt body parts that should remain covered, adding that it was also impolite and against local religious norms.

He also said that such hedonistic and material contests run contrary to Indonesia's culture, which upholds morality and civility. "Hedonism is a way of life that focuses solely on pleasure and materialism," Mukri said.

He suggested that the Jakarta and West Java administrations consider the long term implications of holding the pageant. "Indonesia should refuse to send a representative to the event. The government should understand the voice of the people, because Islam does not protect events engineered by Islam's enemies," he said.

The Bogor chapter of Hizbut Tahrir Indonesia (HTI), a hard-line Islamic group, also voiced its opposition to the beauty pageant and called for the event to be moved elsewhere.