Politician Divorces 17-year-old Bride as She Wasn't a Virgin

Pix: inilah.comAN Indonesian politician who divorced his teenage wife days just four after they were married because “she didn’t bleed”, is now feeling the wrath of his fellow politicians and members of the public. Aceng Fikri (right), the Garut District Chief in West Java, made headlines when he told reporters that he had divorced his 17-year-old wife, Fani Oktora, as she did not come “as advertised.” The 40-year-old claimed that Fani Oktora, whom he took on as his second wife, was not a virgin. “I felt that she was not a virgin because no blood came out,” he told reporters who had asked him about his divorce. Pix: Kompas.comHe said he wanted to marry a woman who is “beautiful on the outside and on the inside.” Aceng had also complained over their expensive wedding ceremony on July 14 this year, which cost him Rp250 million (approx. RM80,000). He said he only slept with her once after their wedding ceremony. “Even sleeping with an artiste doesn’t cost that much. After I bought her, I found out that she was ‘not as advertised’, so I returned her,” the media quoted him as saying. Pix: Tribun News BatamFani (right) had claimed that after four days of being married, she received a text message on her cell phone from her husband, informing her that he was divorcing her. Fani said she had consented to being his wife after he pledged to pay for her college fees, as well as take her on a religious pilgrimage to Mecca. Last week, she reported him to the police for “psychological abuse.” Meanwhile, his shocking comments have incurred the wrath of Indonesian president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, who expressed concern over Aceng’s actions. Home Minister Gamawan Fauzi, meanwhile, had ordered West Java Governor Ahmad Heryawan to tick off the district chief. However, the most scathing criticism was delivered by Health Minister Nafsiah  Mboi, who said Aceng should be given “sex education” for his “deviant behavior.” “Other officials have received [sex education],” said the minister. “He's the only one who hasn't.” She also said that his divorce reason was not questionable, in addition to violating human rights. “First of all it violates human rights,” she said. “So what if she's not a virgin? Virginity is not something absolute. He's just trying to make excuses.” Aceng’s comments have also sparked a public outcry, with protestors made up of students and women’s rights activists gathered outside the Garut Legislative Council headquarters to demand his resignation. Apart from public pressure, Aceng was also dropped by the Golkar Party, and is currently under probe for alleged extortion and legal and ethical violations. Aceng, meanwhile, said he couldn’t understand what the fuss was about. He said he considered it a family matter, and had given money to Fani following their divorce. However, his marriage wasn’t registered with the Religious Affairs Ministry as he is still married to his first wife, with whom he has three kids. "If what I did was wrong, even though it was allowed by Islamic law, then I apologize to my family and my ex-wife," he said. Source themalaysiandigest