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Hary Tanoe's 19-year-old son steps in to buy Jokowi's Rp 2.55 billion motorcycle
The initial winner, a Jambi construction worker named M. Nuh, failed to pay for the motorcycle, saying he was unaware that he was participating in an auction.
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President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo poses on an electric motorcycle, branded as Gesits, at the Presidential Palace complex in Jakarta on Nov. 7, 2018. The motorcycle is a local product. (Kompas.com/PT Gesits Technologies Indo)
N
ineteen-year-old Warren Tanoesoedibjo, son of business tycoon Hary Tanoesoedibjo, was named the winner of an electric motorcycle owned and signed by President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo after he agreed to match the winning bid of Rp 2.55 billion (US$178,037).
Warren had been the second-highest bidder in the auction, which was held during a virtual charity concert on May 17.
The initial winner, a Jambi construction worker named M. Nuh, failed to pay for the motorcycle, saying he was unaware that he was participating in an auction.
“He thought he had won [the motorcycle] as a gift at the charity event,” Jambi Police chief Insp. Gen. Firman Santyabudi said on Thursday.
The virtual charity concert organizer, Olivia Zalianty, then contacted Warren to see if he still wanted to buy the motorcycle.
“It turned out he was only 19 years old and said he really wanted to buy the motorcycle with the President’s signature,” Olivia said in a press conference on Friday. “And he was prepared to buy it for the same price as the winning bid.”
Hary, who represented Warren at the press conference, said his son had asked his permission to take part in the auction.
“He asked my permission to use his savings for the charity auction. I told him to go ahead if he wished to do so,” Hary said.
