FT Chronicle

Indonesians’ immorality is main reason for series of natural calamities to happen said a government minister.

Communication and Information Minister Tifatul Sembiring pointed out many television programmes and pornographic DVDs in local market intoxicated people’s morals, therefore, bringing natural disasters to occur.

His remarks came as he lectured a prayer gathering on Friday in Padang, Sumatra, which was hit by a powerful earthquake in late September.

However, his comments received harsh criticism especially on social networking site Twitter.

Why focus on public immorality when there was so much within the government, one respondent reportedly asked.

More than 1,000 people died in the Padang earthquake, which tumbled hundreds of buildings in the city.

Padang lies to the south of Aceh province, which was devastated in the December 2004 Asian tsunami.

Indonesia lies across a series of geological fault-lines and is prone to frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.

Photo and nes via BBC