Budhy Nurgianto, Jakarta – The Presidential Palace has denied allegations that President Joko Widodo or Jokowi's daughter, Kahiyang Ayu, and her husband, Bobby Nasution, hold mining permits.

State Secretary Minister Pratikno denied the issue in response to claims made during the corruption trial of former North Maluku Governor Abdul Gani Kasuba.

"I am not aware of any mining permits held by Kahiyang Ayu or Bobby Nasution. That is a legal matter," Pratikno said before a limited meeting at the Presidential Palace on August 5, 2024.

The allegations surfaced when a witness, Suryanto Andili, testified that Abdul Gani Kasuba used the code name "Medan Block" to facilitate the mining permit process for a company linked to Bobby Nasution. Suryanto, former head of the North Maluku ESDM Office, claimed to have attended a meeting related to the matter in Medan.

According to him, the meeting was also attended by Muhaimin Syarif, Nazla Kasuba, Olivia Bachmid, and Abdul Gani Kasuba's son-in-law.

Muhaimin Syarif, a former Gerindra Party official and now a suspect in the corruption case related to the mining business permits in Halmahera, is believed to hold crucial information about the "Medan Block." "Pak Ucu (Muhaimin) could explain the term," Suryanto said.

Muhaimin is also a shareholder in a mining company with Nurul Izzah Kasuba, one of Abdul Gani Kasuba's daughters. The company has a mining permit for 1229 hectares of land based on the Central Halmahera Regent's Decree in 2008.

Abdul Gani Kasuba admitted that the "Medan Block" referred to a mining business owned by Kahiyang Ayu. The corruption case against him stems from a 2023 sting operation where the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) apprehended 18 individuals and confiscated Rp725 million. Seven individuals, including the former governor, were subsequently named suspects.

Source: https://en.tempo.co/read/1899944/palace-denies-jokowis-daughter-kahiyang-owns-mining-permit