Adiguna, spoilt brat of famed tycoon
Abdul Khalik, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta
The fatal shooting on New Year's Day at the Hilton Hotel's Fluid Club, Central Jakarta, has raised the profile of Adiguna Sutowo, the sole suspect in the case, higher than his famous elder brother Ponco Sutowo.
Before the murder of Yohannes "Rudy" Berchmans Haerudy Natong, the public were only familiar with two of the seven children of the late Ibnu Sutowo, a former director of state-owned oil and gas company Pertamina. Ponco was known for his business and political ambitions, while Endang Utari Mokodompit came into the spotlight for her connection to liquidated Pacific Bank.
Adiguna, the youngest, was known more as a former national racer than a businessman.
Adiguna became involved at a young age in the family's businesses under the umbrella Nugra Santana Group, which inherited countless assets and cash from Ibnu, a three-star general who was said to have been the treasurer of the Soeharto administration, under which Pertamina almost single-handedly generated revenue during the oil boom of the mid-1970s and early 1980s.
In 1977, while he was still a high schooler, Adiguna married Indri, with whom he has two surviving children -- their eldest son Adri died several years ago in a traffic incident on Jl. Sudirman.
After graduating in 1981 from the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, Adiguna returned to the country and became president director of PT Adiguna Mesin Tani, which now distributes diesel engines nationally.
Adiguna was later entrusted with managing PT Santana Petroleum Equipment and shipping company PT Pelayaran Umum Indonesia (Pelumin), from which Pertamina has leased several ships.
In 1985, Adiguna established PT Mugi Rekso Abadi with several friends including Tommy Soeharto, Soetikno Soedardjo and Onky Soemarmo.
The firm owns the Hard Rock Cafe franchise in Jakarta, and later expanded into a holding company for Adiguna's entertainment, communication and hospitality businesses, including MTV radio, i-radio, Cosmopolitan and FHM, as well as the Zoom bar and lounge, BC Bar and Cafe 21.
In the pharmaceutical industry, he owns manufacturer PT Suntri Sepuri. Adiguna currently holds key posts in over 20 companies.
In 1990, Adiguna married his second wife Vika, with whom he has two children.
As the youngest in the affluent family, his mother Zaleha reportedly spoiled him. For example, during his high school days, he had driven his own Mercedes-Benz sports car to school.
A fellow rally driver said Adiguna always got what he wanted -- and would do anything to get it. If someone was in his way on the racetrack, he would simply push them out of the way.
While Adiguna's lawyer has repeatedly denied his abusing drugs, a source at city police headquarters claimed that Adiguna was a regular user of cocaine. The police have also announced that Adiguna's blood tested positive for drugs in the Hilton shooting.
Adiguna is also known to be trigger-happy, according to a source at National Police headquarters, and had been involved in at least three shooting incidents before the Hilton case.
No fatalities were reported in the other cases, although his gun license was revoked by police when Adiguna shot through the ear of singer Achmad Albar's nephew in October 2003 at T-Box Cafe, Kemang.