SP/Anastasia Winanti R – Disgraced Garut district head Aceng Fikri has filed to run for a vacant seat on Indonesia's Regional Representatives Council (DPD) in a move that left one observer wondering whether the politician knew the difference between confidence and narcissism.

Aceng was charged with fraud and defamation over his brisk and public divorce from his unregistered teenage wife with a text message doubting her virginity. The allegations sparked days of angry protests outside Aceng's office as his constituents called for his dismissal.

He was fired from his post in April to await a court hearing. Now Aceng is eyeing a return to public office.

His name was included on a list of 36 candidates for the DPD released by the General Elections Commission (KPU). He expressed an interest in running for one of four seats representing West Java.

Under Indonesia's elections laws, a candidate is ineligible to run if they have been convicted of a crime with a sentence in excess of five years in prison.

Since Aceng is still awaiting trial and only faces a maximum sentence of four years he is eligible to run in the election. But whether the people of West Java will vote for him is another matter, said Fadjroel Rachman, executive director of the Soegeng Sarjadi School of Government.

"Legally there is no problem," Fadjroel said. "[But] what is left is whether the people of West Java really want to be represented by someone with a history of ethical problems and contempt against women."

Hamdi Muluk, an expert on political psychology at the University of Indonesia, said many Indonesian politicians fell victim to overconfidence.

"Some people do not look at themselves in the mirror and... believe they are good-looking despite the reality," Hamdi said. "Politicians sometimes cannot tell the difference between self-confidence and narcissism."