Diani Budiarto Explained

Diani Budiarto
Office:15th Mayor of Bogor
Term Start:7 April 2004
Term End:7 April 2014
Successor:Bima Arya Sugiarto
Predecessor:Iswara Natanegara
Birth Date:14 January 1955
Birth Place:Bandung, West Java, Indonesia

Diani Budiarto (born 14 January 1955[1]) is an Indonesian former politician who served as the mayor of Bogor between 2004 and 2014.

Career

Budiarto was elected as Mayor of Bogor following a vote in the city council on 14 January 2004, and he was sworn in on 7 April 2004.[2] In 2008, he was reelected as mayor in the direct election, winning 63.84% of the votes.[3]

Yasmin church

In 2006, Budiarto had issued a building permit for an Indonesian Christian Church in Bogor's Yasmin Park neighborhood, or GKI Yasmin. However, in April 2010, the city government sealed the church, alleging that documents related to the building permit had been falsified. In October, as the congregation used the building to conduct a service, officers of the city's municipal police dismissed the gathering. In an interview with Tempo, Budiarto denied accusations of religious discrimination, pointing out that building permits for another church had been issued without any incident and construction had commenced elsewhere in Bogor at the time. He also pointed out that he had offered alternate locations for the church's congregation to conduct services.[4] [5]

During the ensuing legal battle, the Supreme Court of Indonesia ruled that the sealing and the revocation of the permit was illegal, and ordered for the church to be reopened. Budiarto, however, defied the court order, resulting in lawmakers calling him unfit for office, and the Indonesian Ombudsman accusing him of treason.[4] [5] In May 2012, he stated that he would allow the church to be reopened if a mosque was built next to it.[6]

Personal life

Budiarto practices polygamy, having been divorced with his first wife before remarrying a woman he knew from his studies. He later had a third marriage in 2004, as he was running for the mayoral office, and had his fourth marriage (i.e. third wife) in 2011.[1]

Notes and References

  1. News: Pernikahan Keempat & Istri Ketiga untuk Walikota Bogor . 6 April 2020 . detiknews . 24 June 2011 . id-ID.
  2. News: Rabu, Walikota Bogor Dilantik . 6 April 2020 . Tempo . 5 April 2004 . id.
  3. News: Diani-Ru`yat Pemenang Pilkada Bogor . 6 April 2020 . Antara News . 30 October 2008 . id.
  4. Web site: Damanik . Jayadi . Pengaruh Dominan sang Walikota . ELSAM . 6 April 2020 . id.
  5. News: Diani Budiarto: Ini Masalah Daerah . 6 April 2020 . Tempo . 13 February 2012 . id.
  6. News: Walikota Bogor meminta masjid dibangun di samping GKI Yasmin . 6 April 2020 . BBC News Indonesia . 2 May 2012 . id.