Kaesang Pangarep's Business Ventures and Allegations of Gratification

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Kaesang Pangarep, the youngest son of President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo, has recently been in hot water over allegations of gratification and his business ventures.

The Coordinator of the Indonesian Anti-Corruption Society (MAKI), Boyamin Saiman, has reported Kaesang to the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) for allegedly receiving millions of US dollars in funding for his businesses.

Through the KPK’s public complaint channel or Dumas, Boyamin reported Kaesang on Wednesday, August 28, 2024. He highlighted the private jet facility allegedly provided by SEA Group officials to Kaesang and his wife, Erina Gudono, as an example of gratification. He emphasized that gratification can be given not only to state administrators but also to their families or close associates.

Kaesang's Business Ventures

Prior to entering politics, Kaesang established various businesses, including Mangkokku, Goola, Ternakopi, Siap Mas, Madhang, Sang Javas, Yang Ayam, and Sang Pisang.

In 2020, Mangkokku, a culinary business managed by Kaesang and his brother Gibran Rakabuming Raka, who is now vice president-elect received US$2 million from Alpha JWC Ventures, or about Rp30 billion with an assumed exchange rate of Rp15,427 per US dollar.

In 2022, Alpha JWC Ventures, together with Emtek and Cakra Ventures, invested US$7 million, or about Rp107 billion, in Mangkokku. 

Three years later, Alpha JWC also invested in Gibran's traditional beverage business, Goola.

A joint venture company, GK-Plug and Play Indonesia or PT Gan Inovasi Solusindo, also invested in Kaesang's start-up company, Teknakopi. However, the company's top brass, Anthony Pradiptya, is a director of PT Harapan Bangsa Kita (GK Hebat), the company that oversees Ternakopi.

Despite these investments, several of Kaesang's businesses have faced challenges. Goola and Ternakopi have both ceased operations. Ternakopi briefly announced plans to rebrand but has not provided any further updates until now.

His Siap Mas business also ceased operations on October 3, 2020. This culinary business initially offered beverage and snack products with various brands, such as Kemripik, Ngedrink, and Pik Kripik.

His Madhang application, which was launched in December 2017, has been inactive since 2020. The culinary service app was claimed to have succeeded in helping mothers or housewives who are good at cooking to achieve financial independence.

His convection business, Sang Javas, founded in August 2017, has also been inactive since 2020. Similarly, his Yang Ayam and Sang Pisang businesses have also experienced difficulties.

Yang Ayam, which once had seven outlets in Jakarta, now operates only two. Tempo's visit to several Sang Pisang outlets in Jakarta on Tuesday, August 27, 2024, revealed a similar quiet atmosphere with few customers.

Kaesang has previously addressed the issue of his struggling businesses, stating that those operating at a loss must be closed. “We'll give them time to rejuvenate,” he said following the KIG Live press conference in Jakarta on September 19, 2023.

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