Councillor reported for bigamy

PEKANBARU, Riau: Zanzibar Nong, deputy speaker of the Riau provincial council, has been reported to police for tying the knot with Elinar, 45, the wife of local resident Tengku Indra Kusuma.

Indra, in a press conference held on Friday, said he had filed the report on Thursday.

"The marriage is illegal because Elinar is still married to me," he told reporters, accompanied by his lawyer Aswar HS.

Indra married Elinar in October 1976 in Bengkalis regency, Riau, and they have three children. Although they are not legally separated, Indra admitted that he has been estranged from his wife for the past two years because of a "personal conflict".

Indra took the case to a religious court, where proceedings were ongoing. Disregarding this, Elinar married Zanzibar Nong, a councillor from the United Development Party (PPP) faction, in December, he said.

"The marriage is illegal, because she is still Indra's legal wife. Zanzibar can be put on trial, because he has abducted my wife, violating Article 279 of the Criminal Code, which carries a maximum sentence of 5 years," said Aswar.

Separately, Syamsul Rakan Chaniago, Zanzibar's lawyer, claimed the marriage was legal, as Elinar had asked permission from Indra, their children and her family -- who had all granted their permission -- before marrying Zanzibar. -- JP