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Minister defends President Jokowi's son's private jet trip
Budi Arie, who is also leader of President Jokowi's volunteer group Projo, said the jet ride had allowed Kaesang's wife, Erina Gudono, who is eight months pregnant, to avoid the travails of international travel.
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Communications and Information Minister Budi Arie Setiadi (center) sits during a meeting about the Brain Cipher ransomware attack on temporary National Data Center facilities with House of Representatives Commission I overseeing communications and information at the Senayan legislative complex in Jakarta on June 27, 2024. (Antara/Dhemas Reviyanto)
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nformation and Communications Minister Budi Arie Setiadi has defended chairman of the Indonesian Solidarity Party (PSI) chairman Kaesang Pangareng's lavish trip to the United States on a private jet last month, saying that President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's son was only trying to protect his wife.
Budi Arie, who is also leader of President Jokowi's volunteer group Projo, said the jet ride had allowed Kaesang's wife, Erina Gudono, who is eight months pregnant, to avoid the travails of international travel.
"It's a private matter. The jet belongs to a friend. Please give it a rest, Mas Kaesang's wife is eight months pregnant. She should not take public transportation. She can’t use a commercial airline," Budi Arie told reporters at the House of Representatives building on Tuesday.
Budi Arie also insisted that the jet ride should not be considered a gratuity as Kaesang was not a government worker.
"No way, the jet belongs to a friend. It's just like when I lend you something as a friend," he said.
In August, while demonstrations took place around the country in protest at the House’s efforts to annul the Constitutional Court's decision to lower the threshold for political parties to nominate their candidates in the November regional election, Kaesang and Erina caused anger with the latter's social media post purporting to show the couple's lavish trip to California.
Posters online accused her and Kaesang of flying in a private jet provided by a businessman; an act that could fall into the category of an unlawful gratuity or trading in influence, given Kaesang’s status as the President’s son.
