The Jakarta Post has reported that many of potential leaders of Indonesia’s top broadcasting body have voiced opposition to LGBT characters being shown on the television.

In large, the candidates argue that anything other than heterosexuality goes against the country’s values.

The Jakarta Post points to comments made by one of the contenders, Indonesian Television Academy (ATVI) mass communication lecturer Agus Sudibyo, Banten KPI chairman Ade Bujaerimi.

“Television must be free of LGBT. We should ban all programmes containing LGBT content,” Ade said.

Another frontrunner, news producer of private TV station Trans7 Arif Adi Kuswardono, said: “If they want to show their LGBT-ness, please do it, but not for screening on TV.”

“We respect pluralism, but TV should not accommodate such things. I’m sorry that not all things [related to pluralism] are acceptable,” he added.

As hostility towards LGBT has risen in the country over the last year, the KPI released a statement  in February discouraging broadcasters from releasing programmes with LGBT content and effeminate men.

It claimed that such programming could encourage children and teenagers to behave indecently.

“KPI assess these things are not in accordance with the respect or the norms of decency and morality in society and the protection of children and adolescents. Airing this content thus can encourage children to learn and/or justify inappropriate behaviour such as common in everyday life,” the statement read.