W

est Java Garut Regent Aceng Fikri is resisting the Garut Legislative Council’s (DPRD) recent decision recommending his dismissal for breaching the law and the code of ethics following his unregistered marriage and subsequent divorce, by SMS, with a teenager.

Ujang Sujai, Aceng’s lawyer, said he had filed the lawsuit against Garut legislative speaker Ahmad Badjuri at the Bandung State Administrative Court on Wednesday.

The subject of the lawsuit is Ahmad Badjuri, while the object of the lawsuit is the DPRD’s decision letter, dated Dec. 21.

The Garut Legislative Council recommended on Dec. 21 that Aceng be dismissed from his post for violating the code of ethics and the law by undertaking an unregistered “marriage” with a teenager.

The recommendation was embodied in the council’s Decree No. 30/2012 and addressed to the Supreme Court.

The decision was made during a plenary council session that heard the views of eight factions in the council following a surge of protests calling on Aceng to step down from his position.

Aceng has been in the spotlight since he married a native Garut girl, known by the initials FO, in an unregistered Islamic ceremony on July 14.

Criticism surfaced when he reportedly divorced her via text message four days later and claimed that he was disappointed that she was not a virgin as he had expected.

Aceng married FO while he was still married to Nurrohimah, with whom he has three children.

Councilors decided that Aceng had violated Law No. 1/1974 by not registering the marriage and that the marriage was undertaken without the approval of his first wife.

Other violations include the divorcing of a wife without court approval.

Aceng also allegedly violated Law No. 32/2004 on regional administration for not maintaining the code of ethics and norms in running the administration, according to his oath of office.

According to Ujang, the marriage and divorce carried out by Aceng were in accordance with Islamic sharia law.

“His actions were on the basis of his personal interest as a citizen and not in his capacity as regent,” said Ujang.

 “He [Aceng] even got married in his house and not in his official residence,” added Ujang.

Based on Government Regulation No. 6/2005 on the election, approval, appointment and dismissal of a regional head, a regent’s dismissal is proposed to the President based on the decision of the Supreme Court, made on the recommendation of the respective regency legislative council, due to a violation of the oath of office.

The Supreme Court has 30 days to decide on the proposal.

The decision will be processed through another plenary session at the DPRD for a dismissal proposal to be sent to the President, who then has 30 days to decide.

Meanwhile, Ahmad Badjuri declined to comment on the lawsuit against him.

“I haven’t learned about the lawsuit,” he said over the phone.

Despite that, Ahmad said, the DPRD had sent the recommendation letter regarding the regent’s dismissal to the Supreme Court on Wednesday.

Enclosed in the letter are the views of council factions regarding the alleged breaches of ethics, law and the oath of office made by Aceng.