T

he governor of Bali sent a letter of complaint to the central government on Tuesday, throwing its weight behind protests against Malaysia's appropriation of one of Bali's cultural mainstays, the Pendet dance.

The letter was sent to the home affairs, the tourism and culture as well as the foreign affairs ministries.

"We are asking the government to protect our cultural heritage," said Bali Governor I Made Mangku Pastika at the Bali legislative council in Denpasar.

He added that showing footage of the Pendet dance in a TV spot to promote the "Enigmatic Malaysia" series promoting tourism in Malaysia was "unethical".

"The Bali administration and people have taken a clear stance *against that claim*.

"We expect Malaysia not to do such things. It is internationally acknowledged the Pendet dance comes from Bali."

The governor said that to prevent future similar claims, his office was currently compiling a database of the island's original customs.

Head of the Bali cultural agency Ida Bagus Sedhawa said the database had not been created as a response to the Pendet dance controversy.

"All Balinese cultural assets are going to be listed, including our traditional architecture.

The upcoming database will be protected by a provincial bylaw," he said, adding his office has listed 30 dances and 47 items typical of Balinese architecture.

Several groups concerned with Malaysia's appropriation of elements of the Balinese culture also showed their support by staging peaceful protests.

I Wayan Nampa, leader of the Indonesian University Students Movement (GMNI) in Denpasar, said: "We strongly urge Malaysia to publish an apology to the Indonesian people in international and national press, and promise to avoid similar claims in the future."

Elsewhere, tens of Arts Institute of Indonesia (ISI) Denpasar's students and lecturers staged a theatrical protest in their campuses.

"It's about time the Indonesian government come down on every claim Malaysia makes on our heritage," I Ketut Gede Agus Adi Saputra, the leader of the protests, said.

Sumarsih, an ISI student, performed a Pendet dance in front of the crowd, with academic staff and students playing Balinese traditional musical instruments.

ISI lecturer I Wayan Sedana said Indonesia had the legal means to prevent such claims from being made on its cultural heritage.

"According to Article 10 of the Law No. 19/2002 on copyright, the government of Indonesia has the power to claim property rights on art and cultural pieces made within the country, to prevent other countries from claiming them as their own."