Aceng’s fate now in the hands of the President

Garut Legislative Council (DPRD) speaker Ahmad Badjuri said on Friday that the decision to dismiss Garut Regent Aceng Fikri from his position was now fully in the hands of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. The president has 30 days from the day the council issued a decree recommending the dismissal of the regent to finalize the decision.

Ahmad said the process to recommend the dismissal of Aceng had been completed when the Garut DPRD issued Decree No.1/2013 on the disciplinary process of the Garut Regent on Friday. In the decree, the council recommended the president to dismiss Aceng Fikri from his position as Garut Regent for the period 2009-2014.

“We will send the letter on Monday. I hope the process will be fast,” said Badjuri after a plenary meeting at the council office in Garut, West Java, on Friday.

According to Badjuri, the process to recommend the dismissal of the regent is in accordance with Article 29 (4) Law No.32/2004 on regional administrations. It stipulates that regional officials can have sanctions for ethical and law violations.

The Garut DPRD said Aceh had violated ethics and laws by having an unregistered Muslim marriage with FO, who was under 17 years old. The marriage ended after four days only when Aceng informed her of the divorce by SMS. Aceng was said to have violated the Law No.1/1974 on marriage, as it stipulates that all marriages should be legally registered.

“Aceng, as a public official, fails to set a good example to the people,” said Badjuri. (ebf)