As the head of state, it’s normal for President Joko Widodo’s many supporters to want to shower him with gifts. But Jokowi has made it a habit of reporting valuable gifts to the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) in order to avoid gratification accusations.
Two of the most recent high-value gifts that the president received came with hooves. As reported by the Presidential Palace, the president was gifted with two Sandalwood Ponies, native to Sumba, when he visited the island to attend a festival in mid-July.
The two ponies, both male and aged seven, were taken to the Bogor Presidential Palace, who have notified the KPK about the equine gifts.
“(The ponies) were reported to the KPK on August 22, 2017,” said KPK Gratification Director Giri Suprapdiono, as quoted by Kompas today.
According to Giri, the two ponies are collectively worth Rp 70 million ($5200) and that they were gifts from Sumba locals. Jokowi decided to accept them as gifts because he didn’t want to offend the locals.
Despite having reported the ponies to the KPK, they are still allowed to roam the grounds of the Bogor Presidential Palace as the KPK doesn’t have anywhere to put them. Soon, the ponies might be purchased by the state in an official auction (along with items actually obtained in graft cases) and their new habitat will be determined then.
This is not the first time Jokowi had to give up a valuable gift to the KPK. At the start of his presidency in 2014, the heavy metal loving leader gave up a signed bass guitar from Metallica bassist Robert Trujillo in order to avoid accusations of bribery. The precious piece of rock memorabilia was then put on display at the KPK headquarters.
