Minister Erick Thohir Leads Wedding Committee for President Jokowi's Son

Liputan6.com, Jakarta - The Indonesian government is directly involved in organizing the wedding for the son of President Joko Widodo. The president's youngest child, Kaesang Pangarep (27), is going to marry his fiancée Erina Gudono in December 2022. 

Minister for the State-Owned Companies, Erick Thohir is leading the wedding committee. He said Kaesang is just like his own nephew. 

"Kaesang is like a member of my family, a nephew," said Erick Thohir after a wedding rehearsal in Mangkunegaran Palace, Solo, Sunday (27/11).

"It is normal for Indonesian families and the eastern people in general to help each others as family in an event or big celebration," said Minister Erick.

In Indonesia, "eastern culture" is a term which generally refers to the opposite of "western culture".

This is not the first time the minister is involved with the president's family. Erick Thohir and Kaesang are the owners of the football club in Solo (Persis Solo). 

Kaesang himself has become a successful businessman since his father became president. The 27-year-old is also an expert stock trader, recently announcing that he reaps 2,300% profit after investing in digital banking stocks since 2021. 

"I see the fundamentals, finance, and the future outlook," Kaesang revealed.

As for the wedding venue, Mangkunagaran Palace is an 18th-century palace in Solo. According to its official website, the palace was the royal residence for the Duchy (Kadipaten) of Mangkunagaran.

The Mangkunagaran family began to rule the region in 1757 until it joined the Indonesian government in 1946. The 25-year-old Mangkunegara X is the current family head. He works as a commissary in the Indonesian national railway operator which is also a state-owned company.