An Indonesian singer whose erotic dance style has stirred controversy says she will quit and attend religious classes provided she is given one billion rupiah (C$197,000). Inul Daratista told Indonesian papers she had been interviewed by reporters from two American magazines asking why some people had made a fuss over her dancing.

A singer, Inul has yet to cut an album. Her rise in popularity has been due, however, to the sales of pirated VCD copies of amateur videos of her allegedly erotic dancing routines. She pointed out that Jakarta nightspots offered striptease shows but those who criticised her dance routine as "erotic" remained silent about the strip joints.

"Why is it me who is being chastised" the Koran Tempo daily quoted her as saying.

"Give me a billion rupiah and I'll sleep at home and join (Islamic) religious classes."

The Indonesian Ulemas Council, the leading authority on Islam in the world's most populous Muslim country, has told the dancer to repent and drop her dance routine.

Islamic authorities in several provinces have banned her from performing. Sales of Inul's CDs and VCDs of dangdut - traditional Indonesian music with a strong Indian influence - have soared thanks to the publicity over her dancing. Recently, the council urged political parties contesting next year's elections not to hire as campaigners artists whose performances might be considered immoral and pornographic.

The call followed reports that some parties were considering hiring Inul in the run-up to the polls.

Political parties which hire scantily dressed artists for their rallies might create a negative impression of being supporters of immorality, a political watcher was quoted as saying.