Baznas holds mass marriage for 349 couples

Jakarta, NU Online
The government-sanctioned National Alms Agency (Baznas) held a mass marriage of 349 underprivileged couples at the Silang Monas area in Central Jakarta on Sunday (15/7).<>

Baznas chairman Didin Hafiduddin said that most of the couples had only conducted nikah siri (Islamic religious marriages unregistered with the state) since they were unable to pay for wedding certificates.

The official rate for wedding certificates is Rp 85,000 (US$8.99).

“We gathered as many as 349 couples to perform legal marriages so they were able to get their wedding documents,” he said as quoted by Antara news agency.

“With marriage certificates, their children can enter schools and eventually increase the family’s economic status. We consider this program a way to eradicate poverty.”

The youngest participant was Liawati, 17, while the oldest was 70 years old.

Liawati actually tied the knot two years ago with Ti’an, 28, a cardboard collector from Bekasi, West Java.

“At that time, I didn’t have an ID card yet. Now there is this mass marriage ceremony, we wanted to participate,” she was quoted by The Jakarta Post as saying.

Law No. 1/1974 on marriage stipulates that a bride should be at least 16 years old and a groom should be at least 19 years old to be legally married. Those under 21 years old should also get permission from their parents.

Liawati expected the wedding certificates would make it easier to get birth certificates for their future children.

Parents who fail to register their marriages with the state cannot apply for birth certificates for their children, making it difficult for their children to get formal education.

Endang and his wife Juju face this exact problem. Married according to Islamic religious rules in 1980, the couple now has 4 children who do not have birth certificates yet.

Juju said the absence of wedding certificates had also prohibited her husband from being promoted as a civil servant despite having worked for 30 years at the Animal Husbandry Research Center in Bogor, West Java.

The mass wedding ceremony was held by Baznas in cooperation with the Jakarta city administration, JakTV and BRI Syariah to welcome the Islamic fasting month of Ramadhan, which will start next weekend.

The ceremony was recognized by the Indonesian Records Museum (MURI) for having the longest pelaminan (wedding podium) in national history at 325 meters.

Editor : Sudarto Murtaufiq