Indonesian Government Official Urges the Rich to Marry the Poor in Bid to Slash Poverty Rate

This article originally appeared on VICE Indonesia.

Indonesia has a serious problem with poverty, and the government, NGOs, and regular citizens have been trying to eradicate it in different ways — some more effective than others. One Indonesian minister’s latest plan to bridge the wealth gap? Issuing a religious decree to encourage rich citizens to marry poor ones.

At a meeting on national health on February 19, Indonesia’s Coordinating Minister of Human Development and Culture Muhadjir Effendi urged Minister of Religion Fachrul Razi to issue a fatwa (religious decree) ordering the rich to marry the poor in a bid to address Indonesia’s poverty rate.

“In Indonesia, religious teachings are sometimes misinterpreted, like the teaching to marry within your class. When the poor marry the poor, they create a new poor household. This is an issue in Indonesia,” Effendi told local media. “Instead, the rich should marry the poor.”

Effendi’s comments came after he announced that 5 million of Indonesia’s 57 million families live below the poverty line. The number jumps to 15 million when families just above the poverty line are taken into consideration.

According to the World Bank, Indonesia’s economic growth only benefits the richest 20 percent. One percent of Indonesia’s population owns nearly half of all the country’s assets.

“The divide between rich and poor in Indonesia is very real. The difference is drastic. We have the fourth worst wealth inequality in the world after Russia, India, and Thailand,” said Bambang Widianto, head of the National Team for the Acceleration of Poverty Reduction.

“One percent of Indonesians own half of the nation’s assets. Ten percent own 70 percent of the nation’s assets, meaning the remaining 90 percent of Indonesians own only 30 percent of the nation’s wealth. This must be changed.”

According to Harmawanti Marhaeni, the head of the Indonesian Statistic Body, those under the poverty line in 2018 had a monthly income of Rp401,220 ($29.11). The number fluctuates according to the market price of basic food items, housing, petrol, electricity, education, and health.

Unsurprisingly, many did not take to Effendi’s bold and unusual proposal well. Netizens questioned his commitment to his own suggestion, pointing out how unrealistic it is.

“Test this out on your own family and see how the household turns out. If it works, then have the rest of the country do it,” one Twitter user wrote. “Have your kid marry a vegetable seller to avoid creating more poor households. What do you say, Mr. Minister?” another tweeted.