Artika Sari Devi And Criticism Join Miss Universe 2005

Artika Sari Devi when she received the 2004 Puteri Indonesia title. (Twitter/@puterindonesia)

JAKARTA - The holding of the sejagat queen contest (Miss Universe) often harvests criticism in Indonesia. The discrepancy with Indonesian culture that adheres to eastern norms is the reason. The content is considered to exploit and reduce the status of women.

Every time Indonesia wants to send representatives, they are always criticized from here and there. Artika Sari Dewi's appointment took part in the Miss Universe 2005 event, for example. Her departure was criticized by many parties. From the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) to the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI).

Artika Sari Devi never knew that persistence could bring her to the peak of popularity. The narrative is often echoed by a woman born in Pangkal Pinang, Bangka Belitung, September 29, 1979 at every opportunity. In fact, at first Artika did not have big ambitions to win the beauty contest.

His dream was only to build a halfway house or read house with his best friend. An artika-installed house to help street children access education and literacy in Yogyakarta. A city where Artika is actually studying.

This wish is difficult to materialize. People's support is not big. His efforts to get support from house to house often lead to failure. He didn't give up. He kept trying to explain his good intentions many times.

His move was to find support. The process made Artika understand many things. Mainly, to perpetuate social activities, popularity is one of the ingredients used. Even thanks to God's intervention, Artika directed attention to a Puteri Indonesia contestation (now: Miss Universe Indonesia: MUID).

The results were brilliant. Artika then managed to enter by representing Bangka Belitung Province in the Puteri Indonesia Election. Even though Artika never had professional experience in the world of modeling or beauty contests.

The evening of Puteri Indonesia's 2004 election final was held. The event was held at the Jakarta Convention Center, Jakarta on August 6, 2004. Artika then daulat as the winner of the Puteri Indonesia contestation. She also has the right to participate in the Miss Universe 2005 celebration in Bangkok, Thailand.

"Our dreams are that we both actually want to make a reading house for street children so that they have the same access as literacy. So the two of me and my friends go from house to house, door to door, it's not that easy. I think if we have good intentions, we tell them maybe many people will want to help. But it doesn't. So many of us are often rejected. Don't want to say that, look at our faces, the clothes are immediately closed.."

"Finally, my friend reminded me that you have to be something first, so that we can make a more massive movement so that people believe in us. Maybe we think it's a fad or something. Even though we just ask for help from a used book. I promise that if God places me in a good place above, I don't know what that is, only this is the answer in Puteri Indonesia, "explained Artika Sari Devi in an interview on the Youtube channel airfalll_ID, May 7, 2023.

Artika's victory made her knit new achievements. She was prepared to participate in the Miss Universe contestation in Thailand. Artika may be happy. However, not all agreed with the decision of the Puteri Indonesia Foundation (YPI) to send Artika as Indonesia's representative in the sejagat queen contest. As when Indonesia sent Alya Rohali to Miss Universe 1996.

The harshest rejection emerged from FPI. The Islamic organization, which was chaired in 1998, condemned and even condemned Artika's delivery. FPI then perpetuated a demonstration to perpetuate its sub-district.

FPI considers Miss Universe to be a contest that demeans women's degrees. Artika's presence at Miss Universe has disturbed the image of Indonesia that upholds eastern customs. Even the queen's contest in the world is like a body contest. Not an intelligence contest and so on.

MUI also did not want to be left behind. They initially criticized Artika's delivery following Miss Universe. However, recently MUI did not give a ban and did not support it. MUI only asked Artika not to show her entire body and was only allowed to wear a continuous swimsuit, not a bikini.

The Islamic Defenders Forum (FPI) held a demonstration of aggressive resistance. They condemned Puteri Indonesia's delivery to Miss Universe because it was considered a women's trafficking. Only Meutia Hatta, the Minister of Women's Role, gave a soft response. He said that Puteri Indonesia was a private party, so the government could not interfere. In the previous delivery of Puteri Indonesia, the State Secretary also intervened asking Miss Universe participants sent by the Puteri Indonesia Foundation to return to Jakarta, because they were considered detrimental to the state.

The Indonesian prisoner was then sent back to Jakarta. In this controversy, I was asked to come to the MUI to issue a fatwa. But MUI finally only decided that Puteri Indonesia, who took part in the Miss Universe, would wear a traditional swimsuit, not a bikini that shows the entire body," said YPI Chairman Wardiman Djjonegoro in the book Along the Way of Memories (2016).