What started out as an angry Twitter message has quickly escalated into a national debate over the rise of the so-called 'infotainment' shows in Indonesia.

Actress Luna Maya lashed out at the industry after camera crews and reporters crowded around her and her boyfriend's daughter when she stepped out of a cinema on Dec 15.

'Infotainment (reporters) are lower than prostitutes, murderers,' she wrote in her tweet. 'May Ur Soul Burn in Hell.'

Not surprisingly, such strong words prompted reactions from hundreds of thousands of religious clerics, public officials, and ordinary citizens alike.

The 26-year-old has been stalked ruthlessly by Indonesia's own version of the paparazzi who do not just report on celebrities but trail them constantly and intrude into their personal lives as well. - The Jakarta Post/ANN

Luna, born in Bali to a Javanese father and Austrian mother, is one of the most sought-after actresses in Indonesia. She has appeared in movies, soap operas, as a regular guest in TV comedies, and even released her first pop song single.