Novie Fauziah, Jakarta – Indonesian celebrity and designer Ivan Gunawan, popularly known as Igun, has made a comeback to Indonesia for a fresh television endeavor, undeterred by recent cautions from the Indonesian Broadcasting Commission (KPI).
The male host faced written sanctions from KPI for his perceived portrayal of femininity during his hosting of a TV program on Oct. 30, 2023. Consequently, the fashion designer was removed from the show, prompting him to announce his temporary departure to France in January.
Igun clarified that he is not troubled by the warnings from the KPI and affirms that moving forward, he will authentically embrace his true self without causing harm or offense to others.
"No trauma. I'll just be myself," said Ivan Gunawan in Jakarta on Thursday.
His upcoming program is a Ramadan show featuring singer Ayu Ting Ting and comedian Wendy Cagur. Igun mentioned that after a month, he will resume his activities and work as a designer.
"I will be part of an iftar (fast-breaking) program for a month," he stated.
Additionally, Ivan outlined his plans to spend the Eid holiday in Uganda. "Praise God, during Eid, I will go to Africa. I want to personally inaugurate the mosque I built in Africa," announced Igun on Saturday.
Acknowledging the need for thorough preparation, Ivan expressed his determination despite the absence of hotels around the mosque area.
"I am mentally preparing because there are no hotels there. Additionally, there are no good car rentals. So, I am truly mentally preparing before going to Africa," he explained.
Ivan Gunawan revealed that the mosque in Uganda has been operational since early 2023. Besides visiting, he plans to contribute Indonesian calligraphy to enhance the mosque's interior.
Furthermore, Igun requested prayers for a smooth journey, expressing his desire to witness the mosque he constructed and engage in friendly interactions with the people of Uganda. He also mentioned his intention to provide prayer equipment for congregants performing prayers in the mosque.
On Feb. 12, 2016, the KPI issued a new regulation that prohibited TV and radio programs from broadcasting content featuring lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people.
Andreas Harsono, a senior journalist and researcher for Human Rights Watch, protested this regulation at his meeting with KPI, but the commission argued they only wanted to ban the portrayal of LGBT lifestyles with their regulation, not LGBT individuals altogether.
"They (KPI) admitted that they are wrong in asking TV stations and radio to censor men with feminine appearances," Andreas said in a recent interview with the Jakarta Globe. "But they told me they feel compelled to do so due to complaints from other parties about the appearances of LGBTQ people."