Timeline of Events in Alleged Private Jet Gratification Case Involving Religious Affairs Minister
Religious Affairs Minister Nasaruddin Umar used a private jet to attend the inauguration of the Balai Sarkiah Building in Takalar Regency, South Sulawesi, on Sunday, 15 February 2026. The jet belongs to the Chairman of the OSO Education Foundation and Hanura Party Chairman Oesman Sapta Odang.
Nasaruddin claimed his attendance on the flight was merely to fulfil a family invitation to inaugurate a madrasah. A civil society coalition has assessed that the minister’s acceptance of the private jet facility potentially constitutes gratification. The coalition has called on the KPK to examine Nasaruddin.
The following are the key developments in this private jet case:
Minister Attends Balai Sarkiah Building Inauguration Using OSO’s Jet
Minister Nasaruddin attended the inauguration of the Balai Sarkiah Building in Takalar Regency, South Sulawesi, on Sunday, 15 February 2026. The Balai Sarkiah Building is a religious and educational facility established by the OSO (Oesman Sapta Odang) Foundation.
Head of the Ministry of Religious Affairs’ Public Relations and Communication Bureau, Thobib Al Asyhar, said Nasaruddin attended at the invitation of the Chairman of the OSO Education Foundation, Oesman Sapta Odang. OSO, who is also Chairman of the Hanura Party, arranged his private jet to bring Nasaruddin to the inauguration venue.
“OSO took the initiative to prepare the private jet for the Minister so he could attend amid his packed schedule,” said Thobib Al Asyhar in Jakarta on Monday, 16 February 2026.
Thobib stated that all transportation for Nasaruddin’s journey was arranged by the event organiser. “All transportation for the journey was arranged by the organiser,” he said.
Religious Affairs Minister Claims He Was Invited by Family
Nasaruddin Umar responded to the gratification allegations regarding the use of the private jet, which had gone viral on social media. His attendance on the flight was solely to fulfil a family invitation to inaugurate a madrasah. “Suddenly the aircraft was there like that. How could I not come? That’s that,” said Nasaruddin when met at Istiqlal Mosque, Central Jakarta, on Wednesday evening, 18 February 2026.
When asked to comment on the view that the use of such a facility could be categorised as gratification, Nasaruddin responded curtly, “I don’t know, whatever.”
He emphasised that the party who invited him has no official relationship with the ministry. According to Nasaruddin, the invitation came from someone with a familial connection to him.
“His wife is family. So my relationship is a family one. It was family who invited me to inaugurate their boarding school. How could I not come?” he said.
ICW Urges KPK to Investigate Alleged Gratification
Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) and Trend Asia have urged the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) to investigate the alleged gratification involving the use of the private jet by Religious Affairs Minister Nasaruddin Umar, provided by Hanura Party Chairman Oesman Sapta Odang.
Trend Asia researcher Zakki Amali said that according to Ministry of Transport data, the aircraft registered as PK-RSS is owned by Natural Synergy Corporation, an entity in the British Virgin Islands — a British territory known as a tax haven. OSO has been a shareholder in this company since 2008.
According to the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists database, the company remains active to this day. This indicates that the aircraft is owned by OSO. Furthermore, OSO’s ownership of the private jet was also confirmed by the Ministry of Religious Affairs.
“Based on our calculations, the value of this flight amounts to at least Rp 566 million based on the return journey totalling approximately five hours,” said Zakki.
Said to Satisfy Elements of Corruption Offence
Zakki assessed that the acceptance of the private jet facility by the Religious Affairs Minister also potentially satisfies the elements of a corruption offence as regulated under Law Number 20 of 2001 on the Eradication of Corruption, regarding gratification provisions.
Article 12 letter B paragraphs (1) and (2) stipulate that any state official who receives gratification valued at Rp 10 million or more, and cannot prove that the gratification does not constitute a bribe, may be sentenced to a minimum of four years and a maximum of life imprisonment.
As a state official, the Religious Affairs Minister should have refused any form of gift that clearly contravenes the law, particularly when such a gift originates from a political figure who could potentially create a conflict of interest in the future.
KPK Examining Alleged Gratification
KPK Chairman Setyo Budiyanto said his institution is examining the alleged gratification involving the use of the private jet by Religious Affairs Minister Nasaruddin Umar, provided by Hanura Party Chairman Oesman Sapta Odang. Setyo said the examination is to ascertain whether a corruption offence occurred in the provision of this facility.
“We cannot simply and immediately conclude that it is wrong, but we go through a process. As for whether the process will then be followed up or not, we will first conduct open-source research,” said Setyo Budiyanto at the KPK’s Merah Putih Building, South Jakarta, on Wednesday, 18 February 2026.