The son of Indonesia’s outgoing President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo visited the country’s anti-corruption agency yesterday to explain his recent use of a private jet, an act that generated a heated controversy last month. Kaesang Pangarep, 29, flew to the United States as protests erupted on the streets of Indonesia’s major cities against proposed changes to election laws, including a change to minimum age requirements that would have allowed him to run for office at regional elections in November. Speaking to reporters after his meeting with officials at the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) in Jakarta yesterday, Kaesang denied all allegations of misconduct, Bloomberg reported .
He said that he had initially planned to take a commercial flight to the U.S., but then decided to “hitchhike” on a friend’s jet.
He added , “I came here not because of an invitation, or being summoned but of my own initiative.” Kaesang did not provide further details about the identity of the aircraft’s owner, but online sleuths claim that the jet was a on the Gulfstream GVI G650ER owned by Singaporean tech tycoon Gang Ye, the co-founder and chief operating officer of Sea Ltd. The firm’s e-commerce platform Shopee has reportedly invested in the city of Surakarta, where Kaesang’s elder brother, Gibran Rakabuming Raka, was previously mayor.
If true, the Jakarta Post noted , the use of the jet could fall into the category of unlawful gratuity or trading in influence given Kae.