Miss Indonesia snubs veil, sparks anger

Updated on: 14 October,2009 08:17 AM IST |
Agencies |

The winner of the Miss Indonesia beauty pageant contest has come under fire from Muslim clerics for not wearing a veil.

The winner of the Miss Indonesia beauty pageant contest has come under fire from Muslim clerics for not wearing a veil.

Qori Sandioriva (18) beat 37 hopefuls to the crown after wowing judges but religious leaders in the provice of Aceh were not impressed.

They have expressed their outrage by claiming she has brought shame to the region.

The teenager, who was born in Jakarta, had an Acehnese mother and so was able to enter the contest as Miss Aceh.

Teung-ku Faisal Ali, the secretary general of the Aceh's Ulama Association said that she could only have represented the province and its values by wearing the traditional veil.

Ali said, "We are not bothered by the Puteri Indonesia contest. What bothers us is why she represented Aceh, but did not reflect the values and culture of the Acehnese people, who are well known for their Islamic faith."

But Sandiorova, who will wear a swimsuit when she enters the Miss Universe contest next year, said she sacrificed the veil because she claimed it was more important that her hair looked good for the contest.

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