Nadine, Miss Universe & FPI

Unlike the guys at Tjelaan Rakjat, I've been avoiding saying something about Nadine Chandrawinata, Indonesian candidate for Miss Universe pageant this year. Mom said if you don't have anything nice to say, you'd better not saying anything.

However, after reading this news, I just can't keep my mouth shut. So Nadine wore a bikini during a photo shoot. I don't understand why people, and by people I mean FPI, need to make such a big deal out of it and took the matter to the police.

In the FPI's world, Nadine and her entourage are guilty of doing indecent act, and participating in an organization which involves in criminal act. Oh please! Saying that wearing a bikini as not conforming with Indonesian culture is just ridiculous. Which Indonesian culture are they talking about? There are some Indonesian tribes whose female members are still topless, while their male counterparts wear nothing but a penis sheath known as koteka. I remember growing up seeing Balinese women taking a bath openly, and some of them were topless all day. I know FPI said that wearing bikini is not Islamic, and Indonesia has the biggest Moslem population. What's that got to do with Nadine? I don't think Nadine is a Moslem and the last time I've checked, Indonesia is not an Islamic country. Come to think of it, check out Miss Egypt, as in Miss of the Arab Republic of Egypt, in all her glory.

Why do we have to make a rule for everyone that is based on one particular belief? And could you tell me what kind of criminal act did Nadine and her entourage do? The way I see it, all that she did was trying to help Indonesia getting some positive publicity. Something that is scarce these days with earthquakes, tsunamis, and bird flu hitting the news every other week.

And don't get me started about how Nadine friendship with Miss Israel hurting other Moslems. Would FPI said the same thing if Nadine befriended Miss Israel 1999, Rana Raslan, who is a Moslem Arab Israeli?

So there, I said my piece, I'd better shut.