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Odelia urges media to stop calling her Tengku Fakhry’s ex-wife, revealing her marriage at 16 was non-consensual, marked by abuse and coercion, and not a legal or voluntary union.
Indonesian-American model Manohara Odelia (Image: Instagram/@
manodelia)
Indonesian-American model Manohara Odelia has publicly spoken about her marriage to Malaysian Prince Tengku Fakhry, saying the union was non-consensual and unlawful. In an Instagram post shared on Monday, she urged the media to reassess how her experience is described, rejecting the label of “ex-wife” and stressing that she was just 16 when the marriage took place.
Now 33, Odelia said that as a minor, she lacked the legal capacity to provide informed consent and was subjected to coercion and isolation.
She urged journalists and digital platforms such as Google and Wikipedia to adopt more accurate and ethical language that reflects the realities of child marriage and abuse rather than normalising them. The 33-year-old reiterated that her year in the Kelantan royal palace was marked by strict control, isolation, and alleged physical and sexual abuse, before her dramatic escape in 2009 from a Singapore hotel.
Odelia Says The Union Was Not Romantic But Illegal
“What occurred during my teenage years was not a romantic relationship, not a consensual relationship, and not a legal marriage. There was never a relationship I wanted, agreed to, or entered into voluntarily. At the time, I was a minor and was in a situation of coercion and lack of freedom, meaning I did not have a real choice or the capacity to give consent,” the model wrote.
“Using the term ‘mantan istri’ implies a lawful, voluntary, adult relationship and marriage. That implication is false. It reframes a coercive situation as a legitimate relationship and distorts the reality of what occurred. I ask Indonesian media, editors, writers, and digital platforms (including Google and Wikipedia) to stop using this label when referring to me. Continuing to introduce articles with this mischaracterization is not only inaccurate, it is unethical journalism,” she added.
Emphasising the power of words, she said that language plays a crucial role in shaping how survivors’ experiences are understood. “Careful language matters. Words have consequences. Survivors deserve to have their stories described truthfully and with dignity,” she concluded.
Odelia Was Married To Malaysian Prince
In 2008, Tengku Muhammad Fakhry Petra, son of the Sultan of Malaysia’s Kelantan state, married Odelia when she was still a teenager. According to her account, her life thereafter was marked by severe restrictions, limited contact with her family, and constant surveillance inside the palace. In previous interviews, she has alleged experiencing sexual violence and harassment, with punishment for refusing advances.
In 2009, during a royal trip, Odelia escaped from a hotel in Singapore and returned to Indonesia with assistance from her mother, local authorities, and the US embassy.
January 06, 2026, 14:15 IST
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