Playboy magazine to face risks if published in Indonesia: Muslim organizations

Indonesian top Muslim organizations said here Tuesday that the adult magazine Playboy should stop its plan to be published in Indonesia, otherwise it would face serious risks in the most populous Muslim country.

Chairman of Indonesia's second biggest Muslim organization Muhammaddiyah and the top-official Muslim organization, the Indonesian Ulemas Council (MUI), warned the magazine of possible reaction from religious leaders and unofficial-organized religious group.

"I reject the publication of Playboy magazine. I will ask religious leaders to protest, if the magazine continue to publish here," Chairman of Muhammaddiyah Din Syamsuddin told reporters here.

Another top Muslim organization in the country Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) has also rejected the publicity. "The publicity of the magazine was against the religious norm and culture of Indonesia," Chairman of the organization Hasyim Muzadi said.

"This is potential to destroy the moral of the nation. The publicity of the magazine, it means that we accept what we call the moral liberalism, this is danger," he said.

Over 87 percent of Indonesia's 220 million population are Muslims.

Regarding the explanation of the three officials of the magazine on Monday to the MUI that the magazine would adjust its content with the condition in Indonesia. But Syammsuddin said that "this can be suspected to challenge religious people in Indonesia, the magazine could breach from its promise when it already published here for a certain of period."

The Playboy magazine has already published local editions in 17 countries.

Source: Xinhua