Bambang-Halimah failed to Divorce

The Supreme Court has confirmed the verdict of the Religious High Court of Jakarta which rejected the Divorce of the son of late President Soeharto: Bambang Trihatmodjo from Halimah Kamil.

The Supreme Court's verdict was passed on 4 August 2009 and announced on 28 September 2009. As a consequence, Bambang and Halimah will remain legitimate husband and wife according to the Marriage Law No. 1/1974.

It all started on 7 July 2000 when Bambang secretly married Singer Mayangsari based on the SIRI Islamic way, without permission from Halimah whom he married on 24 October 1981, therefore contradictory to the Marriage Law.

This marriage was kept secret from public until 30 March 2006 when Mayangsari gave birth to a baby girl Khirani Siti Hartina.

On May 2007, Bambang filed a Lawsuit with the Religious Court of Central Jakarta to request for Divorce from Halimah, and on 16 January 2008 the Court granted the Divorce.
Unsatisfied with the Court's Verdict, Halimah filed an Appeal with the Religious High Court of Jakarta which decided on 8 October 2008 to reject the Religious Court's verdict, therefore declaring the marriage still exists.

With this Supreme Court's verdict, Bambang is only legally married to Halimah. Whereas Bambang's marriage to Mayangsari will remain illegitimate and so will the status of their daughter who only has legal relationship with Mayasari and cannot inherit from Bambang.

Nevertheless, Bambang still has a chance to get the Divorce i.e. by requesting the Supreme Court to review its verdict, for which purpose he should submit within 180 days after the date of verdict, and must have new evidence to back up the request.

For detailed media reports regarding the above, please click here, here, here, here and here.

It would be very interesting to know about the next step that will be advised by Bambang's attorney Juan Felix Tampubolon on this case.