Going to Indonesia? No kissing!

Anyone heading for Indonesia should be aware that anyone caught kissing in public could soon face a jail term. According to Sky News, an “anti-pornography” bill is to go before the nation’s parliament, which includes the outlawing of kissing on the mouth in public. The website reports that “heavy kissing” could carry a five-year prison sentence of a fine of up to GBP15,000. The head of the committee drafting the bill, Aisyah Hamid Baidlowi, reportedly said: “I think there must be some restrictions on such acts because it is against our traditions of decency.” The bill also aims to ban “public nudity, erotic dances and sex parties”, with jail terms from three to 10 years for those who break the rules. Sky News states that Indonesia has historically followed a more moderate version of Islam, but that “identification with Muslim practices have grown stronger in recent years”. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office, of course, is still advising Britons to avoid all non-essential travel to Indonesia. Report by Tim Gillett, News From Abroad