Indonesia:
Beatles Subversive

The Beatles are subversive— at least this appears to be the view of one Sukarno.

The Indonesian authorities have confiscated hundreds of records and tapes with songs of the Beatles from a large number of shops in Jakarta. The confiscation was made in mid July on direct orders from President Sukarno.

Sukarno feels that the country must get rid of the menace of "crazy western dances" such as twist, rock 'n' roll and chacha cha. All these dances are now officially banned in the universities. The police also seized records of Beatle-like artists such as the Shadows and the Rolling Stones.

Sukarno has also called the youth of Indonesia to identify themselves with what he calls "National Culture." In an interview the police High Commissioner Dradjat Hadeli remarked to Antara News Agency:

"Songs by the Beatles and their imitators are harmful to the future generation of Indonesia, so that preventive measures against them must be taken."

The Indonesian authorities have also come up with an official solution to satisfy the craze for dance: a new dance called the Lenso, which President Sukarno recently worked up himself. There have been reports of dissatisfaction, and unrest among the students of these governmental measures which restrict their freedom in many ways.—Asian Student Bulletin, August 16, 1965.