Bali governor rejects Indonesia's new anti-porn law

By Luh De Suriyani

DENPASAR, Indonesia (Reuters) - Indonesia's predominantly Hindu island of Bali will not enforce new anti-pornography legislation passed by parliament this week, the provincial governor said on Friday.

The resort island of Bali depends heavily on tourism, thanks to its arts, culture, and beaches, and the Balinese vehemently opposed plans to introduce the controversial legislation.

Local groups warned that sexually explicit art, in temples and elsewhere, and scantily clad tourists could fall foul of the law.

"We cannot implement the law because it isn't compatible with Balinese philosophy and social values," said Bali's governor, I Made Mangku Pastika, a well-respected former police chief.

"We urge Balinese to stay calm, alert and not to be provoked."

The anti-porn bill was pushed by a small group of Islamist parties in predominantly Muslim, but officially secular, Indonesia.

Minority groups, especially Christians and Hindus, said the bill was a threat to artistic, religious, and cultural freedom. But despite big protests in Jakarta, Bali and Papua, the bill was eventually passed by parliament on Thursday.

Critics say that the exceptions to the bill for sexually explicit cultural and artistic material are too vague, and that by allowing civil organisations to play a role in preventing pornography, this could open the door for vigilante groups to take the law into their own hands.