Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) has assessed that the private jet\nfacility received by Religious Affairs Minister Nasaruddin Umar from\nbusinessman and politician Oesman Sapta Odang (OSO) potentially falls\nwithin the category of gratification.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe receipt of a private jet facility by the Religious Affairs\nMinister also potentially fulfils the elements of a corruption offence\nas stipulated in Law Number 20 of 2001 on the Eradication of Corruption\nregarding gratification provisions,\u201d said ICW Investigation Staff member\nZararah Azhim Syah in a written statement on Thursday (19 February).<\/p>\n
Azhim explained that Article 12 paragraph B subsections (1) and (2)\nof the Corruption Law stipulate that any state official who receives\ngratification valued at Rp10 million or more, and cannot prove that such\ngratification does not constitute a bribe, may be sentenced to a minimum\nof four years and a maximum of life imprisonment.<\/p>\n
As a state official, he said, Nasaruddin should have refused any form\nof gift that clearly contravenes the law, particularly if the gift\noriginates from a political figure who could potentially give rise to a\nconflict of interest in the future.<\/p>\n
Although there are exceptions that exempt state officials from the\nobligation to report the receipt of gratification for certain goods or\nservices, the regulations still set firm limits on the types of goods\nand services that may be accepted.<\/p>\n
Azhim noted that Article 2 subsection (3) paragraph j of Corruption\nEradication Commission (KPK) Regulation Number 1 of 2026 does allow\nstate officials to receive transport and accommodation facilities.\nHowever, this provision is not absolute and is constrained by a number\nof cumulative requirements.<\/p>\n
First, the value of the facility received must not exceed the unit\ncost standards applicable at the recipient\u2019s institution. Second, there\nmust be no double financing \u2014 a situation where an official has already\nreceived official travel funding from the state budget yet still accepts\nsimilar facilities from another party.<\/p>\n
Third, the receipt must not give rise to a conflict of interest or\nviolate prevailing laws and regulations.<\/p>\n
On the matter of compliance with cost standards, Azhim said, Finance\nMinister Regulation (PMK) Number 32 of 2025 on Standard Input Costs for\nFiscal Year 2026 sets the maximum cost for domestic business-class\nreturn airfares for official travel at Rp22.1 million.<\/p>\n
The value of Nasaruddin\u2019s private jet facility reached approximately\nRp566 million, clearly exceeding the Standard Input Cost provisions and\ncontravening KPK Regulation Number 1 of 2026.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf the Religious Affairs Minister did not refuse the facility and\ndid not report it to the KPK for verification that the gratification in\nquestion does not constitute a bribe, then the elements of gratification\nare potentially fulfilled,\u201d said Azhim.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe receipt value exceeding Rp10 million, combined with the\npotential conflict of interest and violation of cost standards,\nstrengthens the argument that such conduct may be classified as a\nsuspected corruption offence,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
OSO\u2019s Private Jet<\/strong><\/p>\n The visit to Bone, South Sulawesi, on 15 February was not\nNasaruddin\u2019s first trip there. On 1 October 2025, Nasaruddin made a\nhomecoming visit to Bone using a commercial aircraft.<\/p>\n However, on his most recent visit he used a private jet \u2014 as\nconfirmed by information published by the Ministry of Religious Affairs\non its official website. The registration number of the private jet used\nwas PK-RSS.<\/p>\n Trend Asia researcher Zakki Amali said that according to Ministry of\nTransport data, PK-RSS is owned by Natural Synergy Corporation, an\nentity registered in the British Virgin Islands, a British territory\nknown as a tax haven.<\/p>\n OSO has been a shareholder in the company since 2008. According to\nthe International Consortium of Investigative Journalists database, the\ncompany remains active to this day.<\/p>\n Based on calculations, the flight was valued at least Rp566 million\nfor the return journey totalling approximately five hours.<\/p>\n This figure is based on the jet\u2019s journey carrying Nasaruddin on\n14\u201315 February 2026 along the route\nJakarta\u2013Makassar\u2013Bone\u2013Makassar\u2013Jakarta.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, Zakki said the carbon dioxide emissions produced amounted\nto 14 tonnes of CO2, making private jets the most polluting form of\ntransport.<\/p>\n He argued that officials should not use luxury facilities in carrying\nout their duties, especially when there are many alternative modes of\ntransport.<\/p>\n \u201cExpensive, luxurious, and high-emission air travel should be\navoidable. Moreover, the Religious Affairs Minister has previously taken\na commercial flight to Bone. This means there are alternatives, and the\njourney can also be made by land,\u201d said Zakki.<\/p>\n \u201cAs a public official, he should set an example in reducing the\nclimate crisis by avoiding private jets as the world\u2019s most polluting\nmode of transport,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n Ministry of Religious Affairs Responds<\/strong><\/p>\n Religious Affairs Minister Nasaruddin Umar received the private jet\nfacility from OSO when inaugurating the Sarkiah Hall in Takalar Regency\non Sunday, 15 February 2026. Nasaruddin\u2019s attendance was at OSO\u2019s direct\ninvitation.<\/p>\n \u201cMr OSO specifically invited him and hoped that the Sarkiah Hall\nwould be inaugurated by the Religious Affairs Minister. Mr OSO took the\ninitiative to arrange a private jet for the Minister so that he could\nattend amidst his packed schedule,\u201d said Head of the Public Relations\nand Communications Bureau of the Ministry of Religious Affairs, Thobib\nAl Asyhar, in Jakarta on Monday (16 February), as reported on the\nMinistry\u2019s official website.<\/p>\n \u201cAll modes of transport for the journey were arranged by the\norganiser,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, the KPK has expressed hope that Nasaruddin will come to\nthe Deputy for Prevention and Monitoring to explain the receipt of the\nfacility.<\/p>\n \u201cThere [at the Deputy for Prevention and Monitoring] is the\nDirectorate of Gratification and Public Services, which can address and\nexplain the issues currently developing,\u201d said KPK Chairman Setyo\nBudiyanto at his office in Jakarta on Wednesday (18 February).<\/p>\n Following that, Setyo explained, the KPK can follow up with an\nanalysis or review.<\/p>\n \u201cWe can then analyse it and review it,\u201d he added.<\/p>",
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