Muslim Protest Against 'Bra and Panties Display' At The 63rd Edition Of The Miss World In Indonesia

Miss World began in Indonesia Sunday amid tight security after days of Muslim hardline protests that forced authorities to order the whole beauty pageant be held on the Hindu-majority island of Bali.

As contestants took part in a glittering opening ceremony on the resort island, around 100 police, including some armed with rifles, patrolled around the building where the contest was being held.

The ceremony saw contestants perform a traditional dance using fans, as well as a Balinese “Kecak” dance, in which participants sit in a circle and chant while throwing their hands in the air.

While most of Indonesia’s population of more than 240 million practises a moderate form of Islam, the influence of the hardline fringe is growing and they have succeeded in getting events changed or cancelled in the past.

Last year, pop sensation Lady Gaga axed a concert after a series of protests, where radicals dubbed her “the devil”, threatened to burn down the venue and criticised her for wearing only “a bra and panties”.

AFP