JAKARTA, January 25, 2006 (IslamOnline.net & News Agencies) – Angry debates over the planned debut of a local edition of raunchy magazine Playboy is growing among public and official circles in Indonesia, the most populous Muslim nation on earth.

Joining the angry chorus, chairman of the Indonesian Journalists Association (PWI) Tarman Azzam has called for taking the producers and sellers of the pornographic magazine to court if it reaches children.

Every effort should be exerted to prevent the publication of the magazine, he said.

So far many magazines and tabloids have been categorized as pornographic, Azzam said, adding that such publications have negative impact in the society.

The law on pornography in Indonesia remains unclear, according to Antara.

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

Indonesia is the most populous Muslim state with a population of 220 million, the overwhelming majority of them are Muslim.

Rejections for the planned publication came also from Indonesian Youth and Sports Minister Adhyaksa Dault and the biggest two Muslim organizations in the country.

Dault said recently that he would try hard to prevent the publication of the Indonesian version of Playboy.

"The magazine can destroy younger generation's morals. This is very dangerous and we must prevent its circulation," he said.

The Association of Muhammadiyah Students (IMM) also voiced strong rejection to the planned publication of the magazine for a concern that it might destroy the morality of the nation.

"Despite the publisher's promises that the magazine's contents would be on lifestyle, conventional issues, culture and politics, and there would be no nude pictures, we just don't believe him," Ahmad Rofiq, IMM chairman, told Antara.

Ponti Carrolus, director of PT Velvet Silver Media, which holds the Indonesian license from the US-based magazine, said that Playboy Indonesia would not publish nude pictures, the magazine's trademark.

Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), Indonesia's largest Muslim organization, threatened to launch anti-pornography movement in response to the planned publication.

Hasyim Muzadi, NU chairman, called on the Indonesian authority to revoke the license of the magazine.

"I ask those initiating the magazine publication to cancel the plan, because the publication will damage morality," he said.

"Pornography can ruin the nation's character as well as encourage free sex and hedonistic way of life which is unproductive to the nation's future," Muzadi pointed out to Antara.

The Indonesian version of Playboy has obtained a publication license in November 2005 and is planned to publish starting March.

Muzadi admitted, however, it would not be easy to eradicate pornography especially because it has become an industry.

"Eradicating pornography is not easy, almost as difficult as fighting corruption," he said.

Meanwhile, Indonesian Ulamas Council (MUI) asked the government to forbid all pornographic magazines, including the planned local edition of Playboy.

He said the MUI had issued a "fatwa" (binding Islamic rule) which condemned the circulation of pornographic media.

He rejected the government's policy in the name of democracy, human rights and freedom of art to allow pornographic magazines to come in circulation.