TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Religious Affairs Ministry will waive the fee of marriage registrations for poor citizens. According to Mochammad Jasin, the Religious Affairs Ministry Inspector General, the registration fee for poor citizens would be subsidized indirectly by those who could afford it. "This is fair," he told Tempo yesterday.

Jasin said that the number of the poor who would be exempted from marriage fees was approximately 2 percent out of a total 2.5 million marriages per year. In order to get free marriage registration, the couple simply needs to show their Surat Miskin (a document to prove their poverty) to the village headman and provide testimonies from witnesses.

He also mentioned that the Ministry will set two different marriage registration fees for others. Fees range from Rp 600,000 for registration of marriages outside the Ministry and Rp 50,000 for registration in side the Ministry.

Today, the Religious Affairs Minister Suryadharma Ali and the Public Welfare Minister, Agung Laksono met to discuss the latest amended government regulation on the types of non-tax state revenue at the Religious Affairs Ministry, especially the marriage registration fee. As of today, the fee is Rp 30,000 per registration, which is applicable to all.

AHMAD NURHASIM | HARI TRI WASONO