The Pekanbaru Religious Affairs Office has ordered couples seeking to marry to first buy and plant two trees, as part of a wider regreening scheme.
Office head Tarmizi Tohor said Friday the requirement took effect as of April 1.
He said the move was aimed at supporting the Pekanbaru municipal administration’s regreening program and encouraging more people to plant and nurture trees.
“The requirement for couples to plant two trees had been enforced before, but at the time it wasn’t enforced properly,” Tarmizi said.
“Most people just ignored it.”
He added this time around he had ordered all district-level religious affairs offices in Pekanbaru to implement the regulation properly.
“I’ve notified all our offices, so they have no excuse for not getting with the program,” he said.
“From now on, couples seeking to get married will be obliged to get two trees and plant them at their respective homes, so the seedlings don’t just pile up at the religious affairs offices like before.”
Tarmizi added there was no prescribed punishment for couples who did not comply.
“It’s just an effort to raise public awareness of the need to protect the environment,” he said.
“I’m sure most couples won’t object because its not exactly backbreaking work.”
Pekanbaru resident Eva Julianti, who is getting married on April 18, approved of the regulation, saying it was based on good intentions.
“It’s definitely not a bother, especially if we plant fruit trees that we can harvest later,” she said.
“If we opt for hardwood trees like teak, we can sell the timber later.”
Pekanbaru Mayor Herman Abdullah lauded the move.
“A tree means a lot,” he said.
“We can help cool down the city by planting many trees. But the most important thing is that after the planting of the trees, they must be tended to constantly, to instill a sense of responsibility in people.”
Herman added his administration’s regreening drive had seen more than 30,000 trees planted across the city since 2007.
“It’s still not enough,” he said.
“Pekanbaru still feels hot day and night.”
