|
Indonesian Brides-To-Be Alarmed Over Proposed Government Policy
International Wedding News
11 June 2010
Wedding bells for Indonesian
brides-to-be are suddenly put on hold due to a government
bill that requires foreign groom to pay a $55,000 "security
guarantee" to their Indonesian spouse.
According to reports, enraged
brides-to-be are threatening to flee the country and marry
their beaus abroad if the government approves the plan, which
is said to be a part of a wider marriage law reform being
pushed by Muslim conservatives. On the other hand, foreign
grooms are questioning the Indonesian government’s move
when stories of foreign men being exploited by gold-digging
women are rampant in the Southeast Asian country.
The proposal requires foreign
men wishing to wed Muslim women to put a guarantee of 500
million rupiah ($55,000 or ) into an Indo-Islamic bank. The
said bill, however, does not apply to Christians, Buddhists
or Hindus. If the couple divorce, the wife will be entitled
to the amount. If they stick together for at least 10 years,
they can claim it as "shared property." "The
provision... is intended to protect the rights of women and
their children if their husbands neglect, fail to provide
for, leave Indonesia secretly... divorce or do anything which
harms their interests," the bill adds. Violation of the
said provision is considered a criminal offense.
In an interview with Nasaruddin
Umar, an Indonesian Religious affairs ministry official, the
guarantee is designed to stop foreigners entering fake marriages
in order to set up businesses or buy property in their wives'
names, and to ensure that women are financially secured against
divorce. Also, the bill was made to protect the sanctity of
marriage which should not be ‘be tainted by lust or
personal interests’, he adds.
Most Indonesian women thinks
the bill is ‘ridiculous’, and that ‘the
government has no respect for Indonesian women’. A respondent,
who wish not to be named, said that local men should charge
local men as well. Critics say it will only encourage people
to "live in sin" outside of wedlock, leaving women
more vulnerable.
Ms Nia Schumacher of Melati
Worldwide, a group which lobbies for the interests of people
in mixed marriages, said the proposal would lead to an exodus
of "runaway brides." Ms. Emmylia Hannig, co-chairwoman
of the Association of Indonesian Women in Multinational Marriages
(Srikandi) also rejects the proposal. If the law is indeed
intended to protect women, it should apply to both foreign
and local men, she added. Local statesman Iskan Qolba Lubis
said that the bill will make it difficult for couples to get
married and that the act is ‘discriminatory’.
On the other hand, Indonesian
Council of Ulema chairman Amidhan lauds the proposal and agreed
with Umar saying that they have heard many cases of foreigners
marrying Indonesian women and leaving them with nothing.
Reports claim that the proposal,
spearheaded by the religious affairs ministry, will be sent
to parliament for approval by the end of the year.
.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Kasal.com thanks the following
sources for this article:
Arshad, Arlina, Agence France-Presse.
Can't buy love? Indonesia thinks foreign men should. (Posted
by Inquirer.net on June 1, 2010) Retrieved June 2, 2010 from
http://globalnation.inquirer.net/news/breakingnews/view/20100601-273248/Cant-buy-love-Indonesia-thinks-foreign-men-should
Henderson, Barney, Telegraph
Media. British men to pay £38,000 'deposit' for Indonesian
wives (Posted June 2, 2010). Retrieved June 2, 2010 from
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/7793690/British-men-to-pay-38000-deposit-for-Indonesian-wives.html
Eli Judge and Partner Silaban
Personal Library Law and Regulation Series Collection. About
Material Law Religious Courts - Field Of Marriage). Retrieved
June 2, 2010 from
http://cid-90d8572e18fea99c.skydrive.live.com/self.aspx/Public%20Share/Draft%20RUU%20HMPA%20Bid%20Perkawinan.pdf
|
