Tens of thousands of Muslims rallied here on Sunday in support of a proposed anti-pornography bill that critics say would chip away at the country's secular traditions.

The protesters started gathering at Hotel Indonesia Circle area in central Jakarta at 8:00 a.m. and then went to the House of Representatives (DPR). They urged the House to immediately pass the bill, which stipulates to ban kissing and sensual dancing in public, as well as erotic poetry, drawing, writing, photos and film.

The demonstrators also carried banners calling for the imposition of Islamic law in the largest Muslim country in the world.

Some local reports quoted march organizers as saying that about one million people had attended the demonstration. But many reports said tens of thousands took part in the rally.

The anti-pornography bill, which was originally drafted in 1999, is facing opposition from nationalist lawmakers, who form a majority in the house, and is unlikely to be passed as it stands.

However, Speaker of the DPR Agung Laksono hailed the Muslims for their support in the passage of the porn action and pornographic bill into the law.

"I appreciate the Muslims support toward the bill. The bill is the initiative proposal from the House," Antara news agency quoted Agung as saying to the protesters.

Meanwhile, Head of the Bill's Task Force Balkan Kaplale promised to accommodate the protesters' aspirations.

On the ratification of the bill, Balkan said he would try hard to make the bill to be ratified at the latest of June as it had become the national legislative program.

Agung said he would also accommodate those against the bill.

The bill is now entering the discussion phase.

The bill gets the support from all of the factions in the House except the two, namely the Prosperous Peace Party (PDS) and the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P).

Source: Xinhua