More than 70 couples officially wed

JAKARTA: More than 70 couples officially tied the knot at a mass wedding ceremony held Tuesday by the organization of civil servants' wives at the Forestry Ministry.

Nurmala Dewi Kaban, the association's chairwoman and wife of Forestry Minister M. S. Kaban, said her husband initiated the event, as he found that many poor residents and street musicians living near his office could not afford to register their wedding with the Religious Affairs Office (KUA).

Nurmala told kompas.com the association only expected 30 couples to join the mass wedding, yet 74 couples ended up registering. -JP