A Singapore-based bride agency has sparked controversy after posting about the salary requirements for prospective husbands looking to wed a 17-year-old Vietnamese girl.
B&G Vietnamese Bride Marriage Agency indicated in a Facebook post on Dec. 25 that the man needs to be under 36 years old, and earning at least S$4,800 a month.
The post also stated that interested parties would have to undergo a courtship period of nine months to get to know the girl better.
Media outlets Shin Min Daily News and 8world reported that the post drew criticism from online users, with some suspecting that the girl had come up with the requirements herself, or that she was a gold-digger looking for a rich husband.
"Many foreign marriages break down due to finances"
The post indicated that the girl is a high school graduate, and also included photos of her.
The post indicated that the salary requirement was to ensure the man was sufficiently financially stable to be able to support her.
"Many marriages with foreign spouses break down due to financial issues. Consider properly. [If] you are financially sound, then you [can] consider this option of marrying a foreign spouse," it read.
Those who do not fit the income criteria were encouraged to marry a Singaporean and form a dual-income household instead.
When Mothership viewed the agency's Facebook profile on Jan. 2, there were multiple recent posts featuring other would-be brides, but none of those required a minimum salary.
Online users respond
Comments on the post showed that while many online users were impressed by the girl's pictures or had friends to recommend, others questioned the salary and age requirements posted.
Others opined that the girl should be continuing her studies instead of trying to find a rich (or reasonably well-off) husband.
"You mean that after finishing high school, [she] no longer wants to work hard?" one wrote in Mandarin.
S$4,800 is close to S'pore median salary: Agency founder
In an interview with Shin Min, the agency's founder, Eric Koh, clarified that the S$4,800 salary requirement had been set by him, and not the girl.He said he had done so to protect her and prevent financial stress in the marriage.
"If she marries a Singaporean, and is part of a single-income household, then S$4,800 [a month] should be a sufficient amount to cover their living expenses," he said.
Koh added that this S$4,800 mark is close to the local median salary, and doesn't consider it excessive.
According to Ministry of Manpower statistics, the median monthly income for full-time employed residents in 2023 is S$5,197.
As for the age limit, Koh said that this is to ensure the age gap between the 17-year-old girl and her prospective husband isn't too big.
The man's character is another key requirement for the men, Koh said in an interview with 8world.
He said he would invite would-be grooms over to his house for a three-hour meeting in order to assess their character.
Koh has reportedly had men who approached him with a monthly income of more than S$50,000, but he didn't take them on as clients.
"[It's] because they often go to KTV and have no intention of marrying a wife at all. They are just 'playing around'," he explained.
Selection criteria is stringent to find the right match: Founder
Koh echoed similar sentiments about the agency's selection criteria in a Facebook video on Dec. 20.He acknowledged that their selection criteria for potential grooms and brides is "pretty stringent".
Men need to have a good stable job, fixed salary and show proof of their monthly income.
Meanwhile, the agency will screen the lady's personal and family background.
"Rest assured that we will find the right match for you," he said.
Has since received 100 queries about the girl
Koh revealed to 8world that he did not expect the post to create such a sensation.He said he has since received queries from more than 100 men, which is 10 times the usual number.
And while he usually gets queries from men in their 40s, he's had more men in their 30s, including Malaysians and Singaporeans, asking about this girl.
