Ahmad Dhani has found himself at the center of a public controversy after leveling accusations of an affair against a woman involving a private television executive. The Dewa 19 frontman made these claims while sharing a poignant social media post of his daughter, Shafeea Ahmad, in tears during the wedding shower ceremony of El Rumi and Syifa Hadju.
Addressing the media in the Kemang area of South Jakarta, Dhani explained his decision to speak out, which appeared to be a pointed jab at his ex-wife, Maia Estianty. The musician expressed deep frustration over Maia’s behavior during El Rumi’s event, specifically taking issue with her decision to recount the pain of being separated from their children when they were younger.
“Honestly, I am tired of dwelling on this, but it has been 20 years of constant rehashing,” Dhani stated on Tuesday (5/5).
The father of five expressed his disbelief at Maia’s actions, characterizing her behavior as immature for continuing to drag up the past. Dhani noted that both he and Maia have moved forward and established new lives with their respective partners. “Maia has been married to Irwan Mussry for 10 years, so why is she still bringing up the past? That is exactly why I am annoyed,” he added.
Dhani further revealed that he had previously warned his ex-wife against revisiting their marriage, which officially ended in 2008. He noted that he had even addressed the issue publicly on Deddy Corbuzier’s podcast, yet the comments persisted. “When a TV crew is present, suddenly it turns into drama,” he remarked.
Dhani emphasized that this trend of performative drama seems directly linked to media coverage. He pointed to the stark contrast between El Rumi’s recent shower and Al Ghazali’s past ceremony, which was not broadcast on television.
“During Al’s shower, which wasn’t covered by TV, there were no tears. When Al bowed to his mother, there was no crying, no emotional speeches, and no invocation of the past. None of that happened,” Dhani explained. “Because there was no TV, there was no drama. But when a station like SCTV broadcasts the event, it all comes out. It begs the question: why was there no speech at Al’s ceremony, yet one involving the past was delivered at El’s?”
Concluding his remarks, Dhani maintained his stance that these recurring emotional displays in front of cameras are calculated. By highlighting the connection between media presence and his ex-wife’s commentary, the musician reaffirmed his desire to put these long-standing personal conflicts behind them for good.
Summary
Ahmad Dhani expressed his frustration with his ex-wife, Maia Estianty, for repeatedly bringing up their past marital issues during public events. He criticized her for recounting the pain of their separation during El Rumi’s wedding shower, characterizing the behavior as immature. Dhani noted that both have moved on with new partners and should stop rehashing conflicts from twenty years ago.
The musician suggested that these emotional displays are often calculated and specifically linked to the presence of media coverage. He pointed out that while El Rumi’s televised ceremony included dramatic speeches, Al Ghazali’s private event remained free of such controversies. Dhani reaffirmed his desire to put these long-standing personal conflicts behind them for good.