West Aceh Civil Servants Face Sanctions up to Dismissal for Unregistered Marriages
Meulaboh (ANTARA) - The West Aceh Regency Government is preparing tiered sanctions, including dismissal, for civil servants (ASN) proven to have engaged in ‘nikah siri’ or unregistered marriages.
“The prepared sanctions are tiered and clear, ranging from removal from office to decisive action in the form of dismissal from the civil service,” said the Assistant for General Administration of the West Aceh Regional Secretariat, Safrizal, in Meulaboh on Tuesday.
According to him, the West Aceh Regency Government prohibits civil servants from engaging in unregistered marriages as a preventive measure to avoid marriage administration violations and the potential negative impacts on women and children.
“Nikah siri is not officially recorded in marriage registration institutions. This can disadvantage many parties, especially women and children. Therefore, we urge and emphasise that civil servants must not engage in unregistered marriages,” he said.
Safrizable stated that this policy was taken based on leadership directives and the results of coordination meetings with several agencies and stakeholders. The meeting involved the Ministry of Religious Affairs of West Aceh Regency, the West Aceh Council of Ulama (MPU), the Sharia Islamic Office (DSI), the Agency for Civil Service and Human Resources Development (BKPSDM), and the West Aceh Regional Secretariat.
He noted that the enforcement of these rules is based on several laws, including Law Number 1 of 1974 concerning Marriage, as amended by Law Number 16 of 2019, and Law Number 20 of 2023 concerning Civil Servants.
Furthermore, the West Aceh Regency Government refers to Government Regulation (PP) Number 10 of 1983 regarding Marriage and Divorce Permits for Civil Servants, as amended by PP Number 45 of 1990, and PP Number 94 of 2021 regarding Civil Servant Discipline.
Provisions regarding marriage and divorce for civil servants regulate obligations and prohibitions, allowing for the imposition of disciplinary punishment if provisions are violated. One type of heavy disciplinary punishment for civil servants is honourable discharge not at their own request.
The Regency Government also uses Law Number 23 of 2006 concerning Population Administration, as amended by Law Number 24 of 2013, and PP Number 49 of 2018 regarding the Management of Government Employees with Work Agreements as references.
In addition to legislation, the policy refers to MUI Fatwa Number 10 of 2008 regarding Unregistered Marriages and the Aceh Ulama Council Fatwa Number 1 of 2010 regarding ‘Nikah Siri’.
Safrizal said that so far, the West Aceh Regency Government does not have precise data regarding cases of unregistered marriages within the regency government environment. Nevertheless, he noted that preventive measures are necessary to provide legal protection and maintain the integrity of civil servants.
The West Aceh Regency Government hopes that all civil servants will comply with marriage administration regulations and serve as role models for the community in obeying the law.