Indonesia's council of Islamic scholars is recommending the government allow the death penalty for a range of sex crimes including abuse, indecency and gay and lesbian "activities".

The country's Ulema Council or MUI has issued a Fatwa banning gay and lesbian activities, due to what it calls an "increasing number of sex abuse cases".

A spokesman also said there had been an increase in "reports of deviant behaviour" and a risk "control of society" would be lost.

While the edict is not legally binding, the Council had also recommended the government increase the maximum penalty to "death" for crimes involving gay and lesbian activities, sodomy, sexual abuse and indecency.

On the streets of Jakarta, glamorous so-called lady-boys, known as Bancis, work the streets at night looking for willing customers.