Anggun C. Sasmi is one of the most popular lady singer in Indonesia.Although I never knew her personally, but I remember that during her early carreer as a singer many years ago, my late kid brother Dody took part in arranging some of her music.
While Dody's role may not have been much for Anggun's musical carreer, but it meant quite a lot for Dody and his Dutch wife Cherie, that they have named their daugther Kemilau Anggun (living in Holland).
Now, Anggun is not only popular in Indonesia but also in other countries that she has been appointed by the Food & Agricultural Organization (FAO) as their Goodwill Ambassador.
Recently, Anggun conducted a tour to several Indonesian cities to promote her new album. This tour was protested by Chairman of the National Commission for Protection of Children Seto Mulyadi because it was sponsored by a cigarette manufacturing company. The commission accused her of taking part in the promotion of cigarettes which are one of the causes of widespread poverty in Indonesia.
Anggun denied the commission's allegations, and in order to clarify the matter she has met with the Minister of Women's Affair Linda Gumelar last Friday.
Afterward, she told reporters that she has asked the cigarette company to minimize its promotion in her tour.
For details, please click here, here, and here.
The above shows that cigarette manufacturers played quite a dominant role in our society which is understandable because they are among the highest tax payers and advertisers.
Photo : Courtesy of Kompas.
2 comments:
If you want to stop cigarette manufacturers from profiting from the advertising of their products, then why not institute an absolute ban on cigarette advertising?
This will have repercussions for many events and individuals, but at least a few extra people would have something less to complain about.
Final point would be this; tobacco and tobacco products like cigarettes are still legal are they not?
And, if I am not mistaken tobacco companies are required to place warnings on their products like "if you smoke this cigarette you are 15 minutes closer to death" or something similar.
I do not smoke and an advertisement is not likely to convince me to smoke. And, the fact that Anggun is sponsored by a cigarette company has not convinced me that I want to go out and buy her album. Besides I am sure Kak Seto has more than enough on his plate that he need not focus on Anggun.
Rob,
Although tobacco/cigarette coys contributed high percentage of Indonesia's income, and they mentioned the danger warnings, how ever there should be a limit for their advertisements/promotions.
Perhaps by limiting the time and places.
In Anggun's case, I think Kak Seto is quite right because his research results shows that
many poor people spent lots of money for buying cigarettes.
Many of their kids smokes.
We can easily see beggars/tramp smoking cigarettes in the streets of Jakarta and vicinity.
I have stopped smoking for 14 years and cigarette co ads would not tempt me to smoke.
However, the effect would be different for my young son and other kids.
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