About 1,000 people on the resort island of Bali protested against Indonesia's anti-pornography bill, which islanders say threatens their culture.
By Thomas Bell, South East Asia correspondent
Last Updated: 2:03PM BST 23 Sep 2008
The draft law, supported by some smaller Islamic parties in the world's most populous Muslim country, bans depictions of nudity and also provides possible jail sentences for public kissing.
A provision in the bill, which is currently before parliament, for civil organisations to enforce the law has raised fears of vigilantism.
The traditional art of the Balinese, who are Hindu, often depicts nudity and carnal acts. "We in Bali see the body as aesthetic, but the pornography bill sees the body as an object of sin," said Sugilanus, a local man who opposes the bill.
The island relies on tourism for its income, attracting thousands of scantily-clad Westerners who are apt to indulge in public displays of affection.
Although most Indonesians are Muslim, the sprawling archipelago is diverse and some tribal groups wear few clothes. Some men in Papua wear nothing but a gourd on their penis.
The bill has been in parliament for three years but has been repeatedly stalled by fears that it threatens Indonesia's tradition of tolerance. It was recently given fresh impetus by its supporters.
"There's a tug of war between the pros and cons. People worry too much that this bill will be discriminatory," said Umung Anwar Sanusi, a member of parliament's culture and social affairs commission.