Foreign nationals and RI women

I wish to respond to your recent article in the Oct. 14 edition of The Jakarta Post, titled Bride deposit draws scorn, plus further articles in the Oct. 15 edition.

It seems now that the popular program on MTV, Pimp My Ride, has taken on a more sinister meaning with the Supreme Court justices of this country when it comes to foreign nationals wishing to marry Indonesian women.

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is actively endeavoring to stamp out the rampant corruption that continues to be committed throughout this country, particularly by people in positions of power whether it be in the government, civil service or indeed the judiciary.

Are we expats now to assume that Indonesian women are valued at US$50,000 should they wish to marry men who are not of Indonesian nationality, which is now being proposed by the Supreme Court?

I should remind the so-called judges that Indonesia has signed an accord on people's basic human rights, which includes the women of this country. Maybe these judges now wish to become no more than pimps by treating Indonesian women as no better than prostitutes. Or is it just another scam to take money from foreign nationals?

It appears to be assumed by these judges that all foreign nationals cannot be trusted in caring for their Indonesian wives and therefore must be treated as some form of criminal.

I for one can say that nearly all the Indonesian women I have met and know are hard working, honest and responsible parents. I also know a number of cases where men abandoned their spouses, and the latter had no choice but to try their best to bring up their children with no support from the errant fathers.

It is my fervent hope that law-abiding foreign nationals be allowed to marry Indonesian women and to live in this country in order to care for and support their wives and children.

PAUL KOERNER, Jakarta