Miss Canada Natalie Glebova was crowned as the year’s beauty at Thailand today. So that was how the event which triggered controversy in Indonesia ended; a trivial debate over whether or not it was appropriate for Miss Indonesia Artika Sari Devi to join the contest. The religious Muslim clerics in Indonesia believed that she should not have performed in the contest wearing swimsuit only, as it was against Islamic law. On the other hand, Artika and her supporters think wearing swimsuit was only a small part of the whole. “To be a part of Miss Universe is the best way to introduce the real Indonesia to the world,” she stated.

How can anything be sillier? First of all, Miss Universe is beauty pageant. Surely there would be some points where the contestants were measured based on their physical appearance. Using religion reason to keep somebody off of it is unfair. What is it based on? Although the country has Muslims majority, it does not in fact apply the Islamic law. Those people have no right not to allow Artika for taking a part on the beauty contest.

Back in 1996, former President Suharto banned this contest because it was inappropriate for Indonesian people; not only from from religion perspective, but also cultural. How does it fit the reality?

This is an original picture taken in 1917 in Bali where two women were wearing the traditional costumes

For whatever reason, as Indonesia is not Islamic country, state and religion must be separated. Religion is one’s business with one’s own God (s). There is no cause which proves that joining Miss Universe would degrade Indonesian image in front of others. Wake up, people! There are more serious problems than this one that are waiting for attention: help the tsunami victims in rebuilding their life; force the government to bring the corruptors to the court; fight terrorism.

Yet, the justification above does not necessarily mean that the opposing party, which includes Miss Indonesia and her supporters, is absolutely correct. Her statement of saying that Miss Universe is the best way to introduce Indonesia was a mistake. There is nothing that she can introduce from her country but herself. Who will get the benefits if she ever won? Apart from the fact that people would hear the country’s name mentioned; I doubt there would be tourists visiting to boost up Indonesian financial state. Sugar coated words from a beauty queen is less assuring than headline news about terrorist threats and natural disasters. She could perhaps get a more promising career if she won, but her winning or losing would not affect the country as much as people thought it would be. Of course, there would be some who were proud of her achievement (she made it into the semi final, as a matter of fact), but there are more who do not even know that such an event ever exists.

The point is that she should have thought of a smarter reason why she should be there in the beauty pageant, rather than hiding behind “for the country’s sake” thing. Beauty with a purpose is what the contestants, including Artika, meant to be. What purpose could that be? The question is still there. If their main purpose is to give charity to people, then who else could have deserved the crown better than Bill Gates. If it is talent they were competing for, perhaps none of them could beat Kelly Clarkson. If brain is the most important, then Nobel Prize winners would be the real Miss Universe. If it is for beauty then maybe the winners of Fashion TV model awards would beat them.

It is naïve to believe that a single pretty girl could change the world; as they always try to say; when the truth is that they do nothing more than visiting disaster victims and orphanage to shake hands and take pictures. Soothing the victims’ heart they might be, but a little would help from that. A little bit of
everything which makes it nothing.

Sheesh, what am I talking about? The show is over, everyone! :-)

This has been originally posted here on May 31, 2005