Indonesia’s corruption watchdog will summon President Joko Widodo’s youngest son to seek clarification over his reported use of a private jet on a recent overseas trip.
A clarification summons will be issued soon, Alexander Marwata, deputy head of the anti-corruption agency, said in a briefing on Friday. Kaesang Pangarep will be questioned to prove that the use of the private jet was not a gratuity, he said.
A query by the agency, which operates under the president’s office, doesn’t necessarily mean the 29-year-old will be accused of wrongdoing. But it is another blow to Widodo after mass protests last month thwarted manoeuvres aimed at allowing Kaesang to run in regional elections in November despite failing to meet the age requirement.
Kaesang’s representative and the president’s office were not immediately available for comment.
Although Kaesang himself is not a state official, the anti-corruption agency said it needed to clarify that the private jet is not an inappropriate gift received by virtue of his father’s position.
We suspect, as it should be suspected, that there is a connection with state officials. We know Kaesang’s parents
“Why do we need an explanation from Kaesang? Because we suspect, as it should be suspected, that there is a connection with state officials. We know Kaesang’s parents,” Marwata said.
Kaesang’s wife Erina Gudono had posted on social media that they’d flown to the US last week on what appeared to be a private jet.
Local media outlet Tempo reported that the plane was a Gulfstream G650ER, whose average rental price can go up to 300 million rupiah (US$19,150) per hour, sparking scrutiny as to where the president’s son’s funding comes from.
Details about Kaesang and Erina’s lavish trip, including posts about the couple eating a 400,000 rupiah lobster roll and shopping for a baby stroller estimated to cost over 20 million rupiah, had especially gone viral as it came in the wake of the political turmoil in Jakarta.
The hashtags “tone deaf” and “Marie Antoinette” trended on social media.
Kaesang is the chairman of a youth-oriented political party that’s part of the coalition supporting Jokowi and President-elect Prabowo Subianto.
He’s also a food entrepreneur and owns about 40 per cent of the shares of a local football club in his hometown.
He was reported through the public complaint channel by Boyamin Saiman of the Indonesian Anti-Corruption Society.
