Indonesia's VP-elect Gibran denies link between brother's private jet trip & Shopee deal

Indonesia's Vice President-elect Gibran Rakabuming Raka denied allegations that his younger brother, Keasang Pangarep, enjoyed a private jet ride to the U.S. as a form of gratification from Singapore's e-commerce giant Shopee.

The collaboration between Solo City Government, Solo TechnoPark, and Shopee was "purely professional", Gibran asserted, as reported by Tempo and Jakarta Globe.

Solo and Shopee

Gibran, who is the son of President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo, served as Mayor of Surakarta (also known as Solo), Central Java from 2021 to 2024.

While Gibran was in office, the city and Shopee took part in a number of collaborations, including building an office in a city technopark.

In Dec. 2021, Shopee inaugurated Shopee Solo Creative & Innovation Hub at Solo Technopark in Surakarta, with Gibran participating.

Travelled to U.S. using private jet

Kaesang is Gibran's younger brother. He has recently come under scrutiny for travelling to the U.S. using a private jet with his wife, Erina Gudono.

In late Aug. 2024, Erina posted to Instagram a photo from the window of an aircraft, which members of the public pointed out to be from a Gulfstream G650 private jet.

The jet supposedly belonged to Garena Online, a company under Sea Limited, which also owns Shopee.

When asked if the use of the jet was linked to any deals or agreements that Gibran had made with Shopee while mayor, he denied this.

"You are talking nonsense. There is nothing like that," Gibran said, according to Tempo.

"Every citizen is equal before the law"

Indonesia's Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) initially announced it would summon Kaesang to seek clarification over his reported use of a private jet, but it eventually backtracked on the plan.

However, KPK said that it would continue to look into reports of possible gratuity acceptance.

Meanwhile, a cabinet minister defended Kaesang's use of the jet. Budi Arie Setiadi, the communications minister, claimed the jet was owned by a friend of Kaesang, and said he was justified in using it, as his wife Erina was eight months' pregnant.

He also emphasised that Kaesang is a private citizen and not subject to laws affecting public officials, Tempo reported.

When asked to comment, Jokowi said; "every citizen is equal before the law, that's all".

Mothership has contacted Shopee for comment.

Political tensions in Indonesia

The news came amidst heightened political tension which saw demonstrators across several cities in Indonesia taking to the streets to express dissatisfaction after lawmakers attempted to overturn a Constitutional Court ruling.

If successful, Indonesia's parliament would have effectively allowed Keasang to run in Indonesia's upcoming gubernatorial elections.

Top image via @erinagudono/Instagram and TheGreatSG'rean/Wikipedia