City Tourism Agency requires all participants signing up for Abang-None Jakarta beauty pageant to be free of any tattoos.
Agency head Arie Budhiman confirmed the requirement, saying it was not written in any requirements the agency published through banners, posters or its website.
Arie said he believed all participants had been informed about the restriction.
“It is less appropriate for a culture ambassador to have tattoo in their body,” he said.
Although the contest is open to all young Jakartans regardless of religion, he associated the contest to Betawi culture, in which Islamic values are deeply rooted, he said.
For that reason, he added, it would be normal if the city administration wanted to put some Islamic values in the contest.
There has been no edict stipulated by the Indonesian Ulema Council regarding tattoos, but some references say Islam teachings forbid Muslims to tattoo their body because it changes Allah’s creation.
It is also believed tattoos prevent the skin from absorbing water during ablution.
University of Indonesia psychologist Winarini Wilman Mansoer, one of the contest’s five judges for East Jakarta municipality, however, does not fully agree with Arie.
“Why not? As long as the tattoo is beautiful and not disturbing to others,” she said.
Winarini said most people sometimes misjudged tattooed people since they were simply referring to given values in their society.
“Most people, for example, will label a tattooed person as a criminal or drug user, even if they haven’t met them,” she said.
Winarini said the selection of contestants would be in the hands of the panel of judges.
“It depends on the collective decision of the judges,” she said.
Held annually for decades, Abang-None beauty pageant aims at selecting a couple of young Jakartans to represent the city as culture and tourism ambassadors.
Some local organizers will select contestants from the municipality level to compete in the final round.
Offering many prizes and a long list of opportunities to travel overseas, the contest attracts hundreds of participants from year to year.
Contestant applications closed last week.
