Zaenal Ma’arif

Dec 24th, 2006, in News, by

Polygamy is all the rage, as Zaenal Ma’arif marries Yenni Natalia Lodewijk. Some are now demanding his expulsion from the Partai Bintang Reformasi (PBR).

Zaenal Ma’arif, 51, one of the chairmen of the Indonesian parliament and the leader of the Islamic party Partai Bintang Reformasi (PBR), Reform Star Party, met Yanni, or Yenni, Natalia Lodewijk, 48, a divorced mother of three, at Soekarno-Hatta airport in Jakarta three months ago. Some say she is of the Betawi ethnic group, while others say she is a mixture of Sundanese and Dutch, and she works as a primary school teacher. Zaenal, who comes from Solo, says defensively:

So she’s not a model or a celebrity, but a school teacher.
(Jadi bukan model atau selebritis, tapi guru sekolah dasar.)

When asked about the matter of polygamy, and its legitimacy or otherwise, Zaenal mentioned that the prophets Solomon and David had hundreds of wives each but that Islam allows a man only up to four. antara

Zaenal Maarif
Zaenal Ma’arif.

On the 21st Zaenal formally informed the parliament of his intention to take a second wife, one day before the big event took place. detik

Zaenal admits that his first wife, who doesn’t seem to have a name, has not accepted the matter, yet. When he told his family of his intention to marry again both his wife and adult children were shocked. After explaining the matter his children came to accept his decision but:

My [first] wife does not agree yet.
(Tinggal istri yang belum selesai.) detik

No honeymoon is planned, as Zaenal has to travel to Mecca with a parliamentary group from 23rd December to January 5th. He says: detik

I’m too old for honeymoons.
(Sudah tua begini kok bulan madu.)

After the ceremony Yenni, who divorced her first husband in May 2006, spoke at a press conference and said she would shortly travel to Solo to meet Zaenal’s first wife in order to gain her permission and forgiveness, and to ensure that everything was alright between them. She said being a second wife was preferable to living in a way that was not acceptable.

December 25th 2006. Zaenal Ma’arif’s first wife does have a name after all, Siti Rohana, and she is reported to have given her blessing to the new marriage. She said this event in her life was one that she had to accept. Zaenal’s second marriage was a test for her family, she said, and if they could pass it there would be good things ahead.

The slaves of God had to have “positive thinking”, she went on, and God knew best. She said she had given no thought to ending her 22 year marriage. detik

Meanwhile it appears that not all in Zaenal’s party, Partai Bintang Reformasi (PBR), are overly enthused by his acts. The head of the Jakarta branch of the PBR had some stinging words. While saying that polygamy was an acceptable practice he worried that it bothered many people in society and would have a negative impact on the party’s fortunes.

Zaenal is a public figure, his daily behaviour is watched by the public. Polygamy put into practice will harm the image of the PBR.
(Zaenal adalah public figur, perilaku kesehariannya dalam pengawasan publik. Praktek poligami secara demonstratif itu justru merugikan pencitraan PBR.)

The party hoped to win a lot of votes from women in 2009 and Zaenal’s “vulgar” display had put this at risk. As a result he demanded that Zaenal be expelled from the party. detik

Zaenal however is not going down without a fight. He says he had never made the matter of his second marriage a public affair but instead blamed detik.com for publicising it, without his consent or wish. He said that after detik had put it out in the open trying to hide his marriage from the public would have been a worse act. detik

And Ade Nasution, said to be a “functionary” of the PBR, chimed in and said marrying again was Zaenal’s right as an individual but as a politician who represents the party it was not acceptable. He worried that support for the PBR would decline as a result, similar to the decline in attendance at Aa Gym‘s services in Bandung after he had taken a second wife.

Previously Bursah Zarnubi had chaired a 10 person meeting of the PBR in which the plan to dismiss Zaenal had been discussed. Lacking quorum another meeting has been scheduled in the next few days.

Zaenal has at least one supporter among his colleagues. Diah Devawati was quoted as saying the matter was no reason to sack him. tempo

Another report states that Zaenal’s enemies are using the polygamy issue to unseat him and advance their own causes. Bursah Zarnubi is named as the likely replacement for Zaenal should he lose his position as co-vice chairman of the DPR. mediaindo

January 16th 2007. Zaenal Ma’arif was “recalled”, or sacked by his party, the PBR, and a letter from the PBR was forwarded to the chairman of the parliament (DPR), Agung Laksono, on the 10th of January, asking him to have Zaenal removed from his post as a vice-chairman of the parliament. antara

No action has yet been taken over this letter and on January 16th, while Zaenal was chairing a session of the DPR, four out of eight of his former party colleagues present, led by Ade Nasution, walked out of the chamber in protest. Another five PBR MP’s were not in attendance. Ade Nasution claims that Zaenal has no right to continue holding the position of vice-chairman of the parliament while he does not belong to any recognised party/faction. antara

Zaenal Maarif was removed from his position as of July 25th 2007. antara

Continued at Yusuf Lakaseng, 17th Jan 2007.


25 Comments on “Zaenal Ma’arif”

  1. Saipul says:

    And thus begins the downward spiral…

  2. Sari says:

    Another crap!
    So not a model so what? What an excuse!

    Give us one good reason why, and on top of that his 1st wife doesnt agree yet? Bravo Zaenal. Bravo.

    Hey, Good luck for you 2nd wife, welcome to a miserable life.

  3. Mohammed Khafi says:

    As the leader of PBR, which has instituted requirements for Quranic Understanding he should be ashamed of himself if he cannot understand the Quranic requirements for polygamy!

  4. Parvita says:

    This is amazingly insane.

    After the ceremony Yenni, who divorced her first husband in May 2006, spoke at a press conference and said she would shortly travel to Solo to meet Zaenal’s first wife in order to gain her permission and forgiveness, and to ensure that everything was alright between them.

    WHAT??? To ensure that everything was alright between them? Is this a sick world or is it only me???

  5. Bas says:

    Not a sick world Parvita, just a sick country with insane people.

  6. bradlymail says:

    My [first] wife does not agree yet.
    (Tinggal istri yang belum selesai.)

    Another sex maniac, if your wife did not agree why you still want to polygamy? Don’t use religion for your sex desire!

  7. Oigal says:

    Just another rich dirty old man.

  8. uzi says:

    How about making a new fatwa that BAN poligamy? anyone?

  9. Mia says:

    I just viewed the latest news on detik.com that Rohana (1st wife) is fine with his 2nd marriage. Off course… since people are crying out loud outside to dismiss Zaenal Ma’arif from DPR… poor lady, she only has 2 options either to set him free with his marriage or disappove his 2nd marriage which leads him to the dark cave (getting fired from DPR)

    Whatever!!!

    As you wish Zaenal, you own the world!

  10. Rockstar says:

    Those who can’t make his family happy, shouldn’t be a politician.

    How could someone know what is good for this country if he didn’t know what is good for his family.

  11. Ihaknt says:

    She said this event in her life was one that she had to accept. Zaenal’s second marriage was a test for her family, she said, and if they could pass it there would be good things ahead.

    The slaves of God had to have “positive thinking”, she went on, and God knew best. She said she had given no thought to ending her 22 year marriage. [5]

    Silly woman, no she doesn’t have to accept! Another brainwashed woman. Seems Aa Gym opened a floodgate. WTF is going on in this country bro?!?!?!? Aide, I agree, insane people!!!

  12. Oigal says:

    How about drafting a law allowing the wife 50% of all the assets the husband earned during the marriage plus husband is still responsible for the costs of raising his children. A marriage is a partership therefore is it disolves then one partner must get 50% its only fair.

    Then we would see how many of the first wives agree with poligamy. They are trapped at the moment with these replusive, morally bankrupt, dirty old men as they have to think of their children and family first, something their husbands don’t so.

  13. Miss Indo 07 says:

    Zaenal mentioned that the prophets Solomon and David had hundreds of wives each but that Islam allows a man only up to four.

    —> this sounds like a super lame excuse babe.

  14. Tomaculum says:

    Miss Indo 07, hope you have had a peacefull XMas.
    To this topic:
    foll. things navigate men’s deeds:
    1. Penis
    2. Penis (read:lust)
    3. Penis
    4. Emotion
    5. Emotion
    6. thoughtlessness/”spontaneity”
    7. strategy
    8. unscrupulousness
    9. egoism
    10. ….
    11. ……
    12. ….
    21. intelligence
    22. love
    (off course I’m an exception!) 🙂

  15. bayo says:

    Congratulation Mr Zainal Maarif, that is the best way to avoid Yahya Zaini case happened to you.

  16. bayo says:

    DPR (Dewan perwakilan Rakyat) has been changed to DPR (Dewan Polygamy Rakyat).

  17. Hassan says:

    Aww Tomaculum the ladies man, you ol dawg, wooing the ladies, aren’t we? A good one, dude.

    One thing though, most of the ladies here seemed to lean towards feminism. Nothing, just an observation.

  18. Tomaculum says:

    No, Hassan, I’m not a ladies man. Simple: I have a wife, two daughters and some nieces. And I want to know them to be happy. And I have a son and some nephews, I want them to be good men loving and respecting their wifes and daughters. Simple, hmm? 🙂

  19. Parvita says:

    One thing though, most of the ladies here seemed to lean towards feminism. Nothing, just an observation.

    What is your definition of feminism, Hassan?

  20. Hassan says:

    Parvita, actually I’m not that good with definitions. Let’s put it this way: I don’t know the definition of cold, but I know cold when I felt it.

    Tomaculum:

    And I have a son and some nephews, I want them to be good men loving and respecting their wifes and daughters.

    Who doesn’t? 🙂 Anyways, take it easy bro, I was just joking.

  21. Tomaculum says:

    Hassan, you will wonder, how many parents don’t love their children and nieces and nephews.
    I surely undertsand your joking intention. 🙂

  22. damien says:

    Whoa, a bunch of superhuman commentators.

    Mr. Khafi playing God (He – khafi – knows the Quran better than anyone). Others playing KKKs (or Bush, ‘either you are with us, or you are against us’).

    Anyway, it’s a crazy world alright with we all add up to its craziness.

  23. Dimp says:

    I thought all PNS cannot have more than one wife.

  24. Dragonwall says:

    No. You guys are wrong. The reason they are pressing so hard for the implementation of Sharia is that they could grab anyone they like and make them their wife. Well they said they are allowed to have four, right?

    And yet the mayor of tanggerang have the cheek to speak of morality.

    Is that morality. Hey mr mayor your friends in the DPR are getting few wives so what say you.

    All these munafik arsehole.

  25. jumper says:

    # Bas Says:
    December 25th, 2006 at 4:51 am

    Not a sick world Parvita, just a sick country with insane people.

    What the hell are you talking about. How about a country like US that allows free-sex?

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