Beauty sparks row

Press, 9 July 1983, Page 11

Beauty sparks row

NZPA-Reuter St Louis Indonesia's entrant in the Miss Universe pageant said yesterday that she would not withdraw from the contest despite a row in her country over her being photographed wearing only a swimsuit.

The row erupted after a photograph of Andi Botenri, aged 17, was published in Indonesian newspapers last week. She appeared in a

line-up of other contestants, all in swimsuits. The Muslim religion calls for modest attire for women, and beauty contests in Indonesia are held with entrants clad neck to ankle in national costume. Yesterday Miss Botenri told a news conference that she would stay in the contest, which wili be held in St Louis on July 11.

“I feel that the Miss Universe pageant is a worth-

while event that promotes the causes of world peace and harmony among the people of the world.” She said that she could not understand why her Government was- upset about her attire because Indonesia has had representatives in the last four pageants. Members of Indonesia’s Parliament have demanded to know who authorised her to participate in the pageant and have called for a Government investigation. One member of Parliament demanded to know if she bad received Government clearance for taking part and questioned whether she should be called home to explain who had sent her to the pageant. The Culture Ministry ruled last year that international beauty contests with girls parading in revealing swimsuits were contrary to Indonesia’s ideology. “The pageant director in my country did not tell me there was a problem with swimsuits,” said Miss Botenri, a high school student, of Jakarta.