JAKARTA, January 20, 2006 (IslamOnline.net & News Agencies) - An Indonesian publisher vowed on Friday, January 20, to go ahead with the launch of a local version of Playboy magazine despite growing protests from Muslim groups and nationalist politicians.

"There was a thought to issue Playboy Indonesia mid-year but with this controversy that plan may be expedited or pushed back," Ponti Carrolus, director of PT Velvet Silver Media, which holds the Indonesian license from the US-based magazine, told a news conference, reported Reuters.

He argued that Playboy Indonesia would not publish nude pictures, the magazine's trademark.

"It will have a greater emphasis on the literary qualities" of its parent magazine, he told reporters.

Avianto Nugroho, who handles the magazine's promotion, told Reuters separately that the launch was a "certainty", but gave no date.

Some media observers expect Playboy Indonesia's content to be close to local franchises of men's magazines such as FHM or Maxim, which rely heavily on pictures of scantily dressed women but stop short of nudes.

Founded in 1953, Playboy has about 20 local editions around the world that cater to local taste rather than simply exporting and translating its US content.

Carolus said he planned to meet with Muslim leaders in the coming weeks to persuade them that they had nothing to fear from the magazine.

Since news of the planned Playboy Indonesia's launch broke a few weeks ago, Muslim groups and nationalist politicians have urged the government to prevent publication of the men's magazine.

Indonesians are hot and bothered over news that an Indonesian version of Playboy may hit the streets of Jakarta soon, reported Channel NewsAsia on its Web site.

"I'm concerned about teenagers. It's Playboy. Everyone in the world knows its content," said one Indonesian.

"The young minds will be corrupted if the magazine is allowed circulation. It has a strong influence," warned another.

One woman urged the authorities to "tighten the rules on the rights to publish in Indonesia. The censor board has to be selective."

But the law on pornography in Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim nation, remains unclear.

Parliament is studying the issue and drafting a new legislation to guide authorities on what publications can and cannot be allowed in the country.

Although pornography is illegal, many sidewalk vendors in Indonesia stock sexually explicit movies and the country has a flourishing sex industry, according to Reuters.

In recent years, lifestyle magazines have flooded the market, including those targeting a male audience.

Many are franchises of foreign publications in the United States, Europe, Australia and more liberal Asian nations.

FHM Indonesia, Sexy, Marta and Popular are but some of the more daring men's magazines on sale along Jakarta's busy streets.

Many of these titles hit the streets after the wave of liberalization that swept through Indonesia in 1999 after the fall of Suharto.

"The coming of Playboy to Indonesia might create a boomerang affect on these male magazines because up to now the government did not give an appropriate response to this criticism," said Ande Armando, Commissioner of the Indonesian Broadcasting Commission.

"And if Playboy is being banned in Indonesia, the logic will be the other male magazines like FHM, also Popular and Matra and other domestic male magazines, should also be banned."

You may also read: