Foreigners tax a burden

I, a German national, have been married to my Indonesian husband for more than 33 years. After finishing his studies in Europe, my husband was asked to return to Indonesia at the end of 1972 in order to work with the Suara Karya daily and Progres magazine. Both publications had just recently been established and, according to my husband's friends at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, they urgently needed an expert in his field. My husband, as a loyal Indonesian, decided to come home.

Since January 1973 our family has lived in Jakarta. In that time I have encountered a number of strange (to say the least) new regulations regarding immigration, registration and now the foreigners tax.

For 24 years I was taxed as the head of the family and had to pay Rp 90,000 per year, even though I do not possess a work permit and am not allowed to earn money. We have been living on my husband's pension (with no monthly allowance whatsoever) since August 1992 and in September 1992 my husband suffered several severe strokes. He is now paralyzed and unable to speak. Our three children help keep us alive.

I most humbly ask the authorities to reconsider increasing the foreigners tax or to exempt non-working foreign spouses of Indonesian citizens from having to follow this latest regulation.

ANNEGRET HANDOJOSOEMARTO

Jakarta