On marrying RI woman

On marrying RI woman

I refer to the article Want to marry RI woman? Pay Rp 500m in
deposit which appeared in The Jakarta Post on Oct. 10 on page 2.

I wonder who comes up with such sick ideas? The government
should make it easier for mixed couples in Indonesia rather than
selling Indonesian women.

It almost looks like the story of the immigrant workers,
selling Indonesian labor. This "concept" will only cause
Indonesian women to marry outside of Indonesia and turn their
backs on their country, which considers them "un-people" anyway
after they have married a foreigner.

They are harrased by staff in immigration and the so-called
Ministry of Justice and Human Rights.

Let's face it, Indonesia should remain an open and democratic
society where the citizens have rights and obligations. Other
countries grant Indonesian citizens labor and work permits if
they are married to one of their citizens. Why can't Indonesia do
that or at least have reciprocal agreements with those countries?
I don't think dual citizenship is an issue really, but the right
of mixed couples and their kids to stay together without problems
in one of the spouse's countries.

In so far, the idea of the deposit and the way the new bill
has been laid out and discussed is -- like so many government
initiatives -- absolutely not related to reality.

MELINDA TAN
Jakarta