Veronica Tan (JP/Dhoni Setiawan) - Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja (JP/Seto Wardhana)

In what appears to be another tragedy in his life, former Jakarta governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama has filed for divorce from Veronica Tan, who, along with his three children, has been his lifeline during the turbulent times of his political career.

It was only in June that Ahok celebrated his 51st birthday with his loved ones at the Mobile Brigade Command (Mako Brimob) detention center in Depok, West Java, after he was convicted in a blasphemy case.

September marked the couple’s 20th wedding anniversary, on the occasion of which a love letter from Ahok to Victoria was leaked to the public, revealing his devotion to her and their children.

They visited Ahok on Christmas Day.

Josefina Agatha Syukur, a lawyer representing him in the case, confirmed that the divorce petition had been filed at the North Jakarta District Court on Friday.

“The lawsuit is registered under case number 10/Pdt.G/2018,” she said on Monday.

In the lawsuit, Ahok requests full custody of their children, Nicholas Purnama, Nathania Purnama and Daud Albeenner Purnama.

Josefina said Ahok was devastated about the divorce but refused to disclose the reason behind it, saying that the matter was private.

Rumors had circulated about Veronica’s alleged infidelity, but she refused to comment on the matter.

Ahok and Veronica met at Kristus Yesus Church in Pluit, North Jakarta, in 1994.

The former governor has spoken about their first encounter. “I accidentally stepped on her foot. Then I fell in love with her,” he said at City Hall in February 2016, when he was still Jakarta governor.

Ahok said he was fond of her ability to play musical instruments. Veronica served as a pianist and singer during church services.

The two married in September 1997 when Veronica was just 19 and still attending the School of Architecture at Pelita Harapan University.

Ahok said although Veronica was young when they married, Ahok’s late father, who was suffering from cancer at the time, had urged them to marry.

From then on, Veronica followed and supported Ahok’s actions and antics, and eventually received her own share of the spotlight while her husband’s political career was on the move.

Following him, she moved from Jakarta to Belitung, Ahok’s hometown, when he started his political career and later became East Belitung regent. They moved back to Jakarta when Ahok ran alongside Joko “Jokowi” Widodo in the 2012 gubernatorial election and became his deputy governor.

The media’s focus on Ahok’s family escalated during the 2017 regional election when Ahok’s attempt to run for a second term as Jakarta governor was marred by a blasphemy case.

During that time, Veronica appeared to be a faithful wife who was always by his side on the campaign trail and during the blasphemy trial.

She cried while reading a letter Ahok wrote from jail announcing that they would not appeal his two-year sentence.

Ahok reportedly sent several love letters to his wife from jail, the last being the one leaked to the public on their wedding anniversary.

In the letter, Ahok told Veronica that being in jail was the greatest wedding anniversary gift, as he had a lot of time to think about his family, life and purpose.

Ahok said if he was not in jail then he would be working a governor’s brutal schedule; waking up at 4:30 a.m. and going home after 9 p.m.

“I used to take it [my time with family] for granted,” he wrote in the letter.

“But I am blessed to have you as my wife, a woman who truly loves me and the children. If there is anything wrong in a marriage, most of the time it’s due to the husband’s failures. You are a grown woman, a woman with her own achievements who has become my personal savior.” (gis/dpk)

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