Indonesian minister Muhadjir Effendy

An Indonesian minister on Thursday called for a fatwa (religious edict), requiring the rich to marry the poor to reduce inequality, local media reported on Thursday.

“What happens is the poor marry the poor and they create more poor families,” Minister of Human Development Muhadjir Effendy was quoted as saying by the news portal Tempo.co.

“The religious affairs minister should issue a fatwa requiring the rich to marry the poor and the poor marry the rich,” he said.

In January, Religious Affairs Minister Fachrul Razi said he was considering requiring those wishing to get married undergo a pre-marital preparation course.

He has not responded to Muhadjir’s suggestion.

A 2017 study by international charity Oxfam found that four richest Indonesians own as much wealth as the country’s poorest 100 million citizens.

Indonesia is home to 260 million people. (dpa/NAN)