Abstract
Known as ‘the Indonesian Bob Dylan’, Iwan Fals is one of the country's most popular singers. Many of his ballads address important social and political matters. He has repeatedly been approached by both opposition parties to stand for Parliament, but says he is not interested. His live performances are frequently banned. In 1984 the army halted a show in Pekanbaru, Sumatra, on the grounds that two of his songs — ‘Demokrasi Nasi’ (Rice Democracy) and ‘Mbak Tini’ (Sister Tini) — were a threat to public order. In 1989 the police banned his 100-town tour. ‘All I carry is a guitar made of wood and strings,’ he said then. ‘How can this be dangerous, compared to a tank?’ And his shows continue to be banned — most recently in Ujung Pandang in 1996