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Sandiaga urges calm amid calls to boycott Bruno Mars' Jakarta show
The tourism minister has called for calm as criticism mounts against the American musician's upcoming Jakarta concert in September, urging the public to leave politics out of the creative economy.
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United States musician Bruno Mars speaks to the audience on May 20 during the 2018 Billboard Music Awards at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. (AFP/Kevin Winter)
T
ourism and Creative Economy Minister Sandiaga Uno has urged the public to stay calm as calls grow to boycott American singer-songwriter Bruno Mars’ upcoming Jakarta concert over his alleged support for Israel in the Gaza war.
Criticism against Mars has been amplified by social media posts shared as evidence of the United States musician backing the Israeli military campaign against militant group Hamas, a conflict that has claimed the lives of tens of thousands of civilians in the Palestinian exclave.
While Sandiaga reiterated Indonesia’s unwavering support for an independent Palestine, he said the concert should be seen as an issue separate from maintaining the country’s position on the global stage.
“We must not let personal or political views affect our creative economy,” Sandiaga told reporters on Monday.
“We are a democratic country,” the minister continued, emphasizing the importance of maintaining Indonesia’s “free and active foreign policy position”.
“Just like Coldplay before, we have given all [necessary] explanations,” he added, referring to the British group’s November 2023 concert in Jakarta.
Read also: Open up your eyes: Coldplay to hold a concert for the first time in Indonesia
