JAKARTA, May 8 -- A proposal by a regional governor in Indonesia to make vasectomy a condition for men to receive welfare benefits has sparked widespread criticism in Indonesia, according to a report by the South China Morning Post (SCMP).

West Java Governor Dedi Mulyadi reportedly suggested sterilisation in exchange for access to social welfare, electricity connections, food aid, scholarships and public housing.

In an April 28 speech, Dedi questioned why poor families often have many children, saying, "Stop having children if you can't provide for them well," the SCMP reported.

"I don't know why poor families generally have many children, while rich people have difficulty having children, even after paying two billion rupiah (RM517,90...