JAKARTA: Public Works Minister Dody Hanggodo has come under scrutiny after an official ministry document listed his wife and daughter as members of a planned delegation to the United States, drawing questions from the Indonesian Ombudsman and the public over transparency and the use of state facilities.
The controversy erupted after a letter issued by the Public Works Ministry and widely circulated on social media showed eight delegates scheduled to travel to New York from July 13 to 19.
Signed by Ministry Secretary-General Apri Artoto on June 29, the document lists Dody's wife, Irma Hermawati, and daughter, Aurellia Tsabitha Meidirama, among the participants.
It states that Irma would travel on a diplomatic passport, while Aurellia would use an ordinary passport.
According to the document, the Indonesian delegation is expected to attend the High-level Meeting on the Midterm Review of the New Urban Agenda, convened by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) and organised by the UN Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat).
The meeting is scheduled for July 16 and 17 in New York.
The inclusion of Dody’s family members in the official delegation has sparked online criticism, with many questioning whether their participation is necessary and consistent with the government’s austerity drive launched by President Prabowo Subianto.
The ministry confirmed that Irma and Aurellia had been included in the travel documents but denied that any state funds would be used to finance their participation.
“I must emphasise that no state budget will be used to cover the expenses of family members. If any family members take part in the travel, all costs will be borne personally,” Apri said Tuesday, as quoted by Kompas.com.
He added that the list had been prepared solely to facilitate visa applications through the Foreign Ministry and maintained that the issuance of a diplomatic passport for the minister’s wife was in accordance with prevailing regulations.
But the explanation has failed to dispel public concern. Ombudsman member Maneger Nasution urged the ministry to provide greater transparency, not only about why Dody's wife and daughter were included in the delegation but also how it would ensure that no state funds or publicly financed facilities would be used for their participation.
“More importantly, [the ministry] must ensure that their participation is legitimate, lawful and free from conflict of interest, and that no authority is abused for personal benefit or privilege," he said on Tuesday.
Before entering politics with the Democratic Party, Dody had business ties to South Kalimantan businessman Andi "Haji Isam" Syamsuddin Arsyad, whose business interests include companies involved in President Prabowo’s food estate project in Merauke, South Papua.
The 60-year-old minister has also previously claimed that a "deep state" was attempting to undermine him after an internal audit document from his ministry was leaked, alleging that influential actors were seeking to implicate him in a corruption case. - The Jakarta Post/ANN
