IT LOOKED like a rare chance to rub shoulders with showbizglitterati, an invitation to a famous singer’s birthday in centralJakarta.

Dewi Persik sings in the Arab-influenced dangdut-style, witheye-popping gyrations making the most of her pneumatic figure. Sheturned 22 last month and, courtesy of a friend who worked with her,I was invited to celebrate at the local Hard Rock Cafe.

We were ushered to a table in a near empty roped-off section,while upstairs about 40 paparazzi and five television crews loungedaround.

Indonesians have a seemingly insatiable appetite for gossip andthe nation is full of aspiring celebrities, such as Dewi, happy toprovide fodder.

Scores of “lampu merah” - red light - tabloids peddle tales oflove and intrigue surrounding singers and actors from trashytelevision soap operas.

About 11am almost every television station runs gossip programsthat provide graphic details of romances, divorces and disasters,and late night shows are even more risque.

The popularity of the programs prompts sporadic outbursts fromclerics claiming the salacious details are undermining the moralsof millions of watching housewives. Indonesia’s largest Islamicorganisation Nahdlatul Ulama has even suggested a ban.

The gyrations of dangdut singers have also drawn ire, withproposals they should be judged obscene and outlawed under a newanti-pornography law before parliament.

Dewi’s “drilling” dance (involving a rapid, circular rotation ofthe bum) is rated red-hot, but the media interest in her wasfuelled by a marriage break-up with fellow singer and televisionhost Syaiful Jamil. Their divorce was to go before a court the nextmorning. Both had been courting the media, Syaiful playing thepious Muslim and Dewi the deserted wife.

When Dewi strode into the nightclub the glare of televisionlights and flashbulbs was blinding. Nearly popping out of herdress, she made a beeline for this surprised reporter, who she hadmet only once before.

With cameras rolling she kissed my cheeks and a birthday cakewas placed before me - which she proceeded to slice.

While Dewi performed an impromptu dance we retreated to a nearbytable occupied by one, equally puzzled, gentleman, who it latertranspired was Dewi’s gynaecologist. At most a handful in the club,excluding managers, make-up artists and a couple of relatives, weregenuine party guests. All the reporters were offered drinks and aselection of burgers and chicken from a “Dewi Persik birthdaymenu”.