No bikinis allowed for Miss World finalists

Miss World has axed the famed bikinis from this year’s pageant in Indonesia, replacing the skimpy swimsuits with conservative beach sarongs amid mounting protests from hardline Muslim groups, organisers said.

All of the more than 130 contestants will be required to wear Bali’s traditional long sarongs instead of the sexy bikinis that are historically part of the competition, said Adjie Soeratmadjie from the RCTI, the official broadcaster and local organiser.

The pageant will be held on Sept 28 on the resort island of Bali and in Sentul, an area near the capital, Jakarta. Indonesia is the world’s most populous Muslim country.