Desy Nurhayati, Nusa Dua – Increasing protest from hard-line groups over the 2013 Miss World beauty pageant – which is slated to be held in Bali and Sentul in West Java from Sept. 8 to 28 – has seemingly forced the government to drop Sentul as one of the event hosts.

Coordinating People's Welfare Minister Agung Laksono announced on Saturday that now all of the pageant events, from the opening ceremony to the coronation night, would be held in Bali.

However, contestants, he continued, would be allowed to visit other provinces, but not as part of the program series. "We take this decision after considering the pros and cons of the event for both the public and the organizer," Agung said.

In the initial schedule, after the first week of events came to an end in Bali, all 129 contestants from around the globe would then travel to Jakarta, where they would compete in different events culminating with the final on Sept. 28 in Sentul at the Sentul International Convention Center (SICC).

The contest, however, has drawn protests from Islamic hard-line groups across the country in the days leading up to the pageant. The groups protested the decision to host Miss World in the country, calling it as an "immoral event". The absence of a bikini round in the contest has failed to appease the hard-liners.

The Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI), for instance, has conveyed its disagreement with the event, saying that the pageant was not in line with Islamic teachings. Radical groups the Islam Defenders Front (FPI) and the Islamic People's Forum (FUI) have also demanded the government cancel the event.

Before the decision to pull Sentul as an event site, West Java Deputy Governor Deddy Mizwar said on Friday the contest should not be held in Sentul if it drew protests.

"This is controversial, isn't it? If this contest will create unsafe conditions, I think it would be better to avoid this [and cancel the event in Sentul]," he said, as quoted by Antara news agency.

West Java is a Muslim majority province, which is reported to have the highest number of cases of violence against minority religious groups.

National Police chief Gen. Timur Pradopo disagreed with the notion that the cancellation of the closing ceremony in Sentul was due to threats from hard-liners. To secure the event in Bali, he said the Police would cooperate with local police and residents to guarantee safety at all venues used for the event.

Tourism and Creative Economy Deputy Minister Sapta Nirwandar also said the cancellation was not related to pressure from radical groups. "There is no way that the government is afraid of any hard-liners," Sapta said.

He said the event should be seen as a good thing for Indonesia because it would help promote the country, especially Bali, to the international world.

"Just imagine all the contestants from hundreds of countries telling their families, friends and colleagues about Indonesia back home. Don't you think that it is good thing?" he said.

The sudden decision shocked the Miss World committee, as it came a few hours after the committee had held a separate press conference in Nusa Dua, Bali, where they expressed their optimism that the event would run smoothly despite mounting protests from hard-liners.

"This is an unexpected decision. Can you imagine it? It's only three weeks before the finale then suddenly there is such a change," Arief Suditomo, head of media affairs for the 2013 Miss World, told The Jakarta Post.

"This time around, we cannot release an official statement on the changes [...] But one thing is for sure: Tomorrow's event [the opening ceremony on Sunday in Bali] will be on schedule," he added.

Commenting on the protest, Julia Morley, chairwoman of the Miss World Organization, said she was convinced the organizers had no intention of offending anyone and the event would be held "with full respect to local cultures".

"They have the right to say what they want to say, but it would be very nice to talk to us first, to find out about us, because there are many beauty contests, and they might be confused," she said. "I would like them to give us the opportunity to show what we are." (koi)