Controversy Surrounds Indonesian President’s Son’s Luxury Trip
At first glance, a recent social media post appeared to be just another snapshot from an enthusiastic traveler. It featured the wing of a plane, framed against a backdrop of fluffy white clouds and golden sunlight streaming through. The accompanying caption simply stated: “U.S.A. here we go.” However, this seemingly innocuous post sparked significant controversy.
On that August flight from Jakarta to Los Angeles were Kaesang Pangarep, the younger son of Indonesian President Joko Widodo, and his wife, Erina Gudono. Details of their journey emerged through Ms. Erina’s social media accounts, revealing extravagant purchases such as a $1,500 stroller for their soon-to-be-born baby and a $25 lobster roll for lunch. These posts were viewed as highly insensitive, leading to public outrage as many Indonesians struggle to afford basic luxuries.
What incited even greater fury, however, was the revelation that the couple traveled aboard a private jet, a stark contrast to the humble, everyman image that President Joko has long cultivated. The aircraft was reportedly linked to Shopee, an online shopping platform that had plans to build a new facility in Solo, the city where Mr. Joko began his political career. Notably, the mayor of Solo until recently was his older son, Gibran Rakabuming Raka.
Boyamin Saiman, the coordinator of the Indonesian Anti-Corruption Community, a watchdog organization, raised a pertinent question: “If Kaesang wasn’t the mayor’s brother who had signed an agreement with Shopee, would he really have been able to fly on Shopee’s private jet?” This statement underscores the potential conflict of interest surrounding the trip.
In response to the mounting criticism, Mr. Kaesang has denied any wrongdoing, claiming that he merely “hitchhiked” on a friend’s plane, although he has not disclosed the identity of this friend. The situation has prompted the nation’s graft-fighting agency, the Corruption Eradication Commission, to launch an investigation to determine whether the flight could be classified as a bribe. As of now, the investigation is still in an “internal administration process,” according to a spokesperson from the commission.
While the ownership of the jet remains unclear, it was previously owned by Garena Online, which shares the same corporate parent as Shopee: Singapore-based SEA Limited. Attempts to reach Garena for comment have gone unanswered.
