The Tamesis
May 15, 2026
jakarta – In East Kalimantan, where Indonesia is building a new capital, a Range Rover worth more than S$500,000 has sparked public protests against one of the province’s most powerful political families.
dispute First time attracting public attention MarchIt was previously reported that the provincial government purchased a Range Rover 3.0 Autobiography long wheelbase car worth 8.5 billion rupees (approximately S$617,000) as the new official vehicle of Governor Rudy Mas’ud.
The vehicle became part of a wider dispute over spending after Indonesian media circulated details of the provincial budget, which includes 25 billion rupees to renovate the governor’s and deputy governor’s official residence, 125 million rupees to buy massage chairs and 198 million rupees for a saltwater aquarium. Social media posts also circulated details of an allocation of Rs 45 crore for laundry services.
Public outrage turned into demonstrations in late April and early May, Allegations of corruption, collusion and nepotismdrawing attention to the growing influence of the Masoud family.
The controversy has repercussions far beyond East Kalimantan, which is at the center of Indonesia’s most ambitious development projects.
East Kalimantan is home to Nusantara, also known by the Indonesian abbreviation IKN, short for Ibu Kota Nusantara, a massive new city planned to replace Jakarta as Indonesia’s administrative capital.
Former President Joko Widodo launched the project to address severe congestion and land subsidence problems in Jakarta and to expand economic development beyond the island of Java.
This relocation project is Expected to bring tens of billions of dollars in government spending and private investment The move into East Kalimantan dramatically increases the political and economic importance of a region long known for coal mining, timber and oil.
Elected in 2024, Mr Rudy Masoud is one of four brothers who hold or have held some of the most influential offices in the province.
His brother Rahmad Mas’ud is the mayor of Balikpapan, the closest major city to Nusatara and the main transit point for officials, investors and construction workers traveling to IKN. Another brother, Mr. Hasanuddin Mas’ud, is the Speaker of the East Kalimantan Provincial Assembly.
The third brother, Mr. Abdul Gafur Mas’ud, is the regent of Penajam Paser Utara, the area where the presidential palace is located. In 2022, he was arrested by the Corruption Eradication Commission in connection with a bribery case related to a road construction project.
Local media and social media users called the family “banimasud“, borrowing the Arabic prefix Bani (meaning “sons of” or “descendants of”), calling them the “Mas’ud clan”. In Indonesia, this phrase is often used to sarcastically imply that a family has dominated political power.
On May 6, during a protest in Samarinda, the provincial capital, student activist Tiyo Ardianto, chairman of the student executive committee of Gadjah Mada University, said: “The difference between a republic and an empire is that a republic is ruled by all citizens, while an empire is ruled by a few families. Today, East Kalimantan is controlled by a few families.”
The Mas’ud family came to national attention in early 2026, when President Prabowo Subianto, after being introduced to several officials with the same surname during a visit to East Kalimantan, asked in obvious surprise: “All Mas’uds?”
The spending plan comes as Prabowo called on ministries and officials to cut spending at a time when many Indonesians are facing financial pressure.
Mr Rudy initially defended the Range Rover acquisition, saying East Kalimantan, as the site of Indonesia’s new capital, should reflect dignity and not appear “poor” to tourists. But he apologized on March 2 and said he would cancel the purchase. Indonesian media later reported that the car had been returned to the dealer.
Weeks later, however, new controversy arose over a costly renovation of the governor’s mansion. On April 26, Mr. Rudy posted a four-minute video on Instagram apologizing for the commotion. “I offer my deepest apologies from the bottom of my heart for the disturbance and discomfort that occurred,” he said.
He denied allegations that members of his family were appointed to provincial government posts and said the spending plan would be reviewed.
“I will personally bear the cost of items in the official residence that have nothing to do with official duties, including massage chairs, seawater fish tanks, etc.,” he said. “All projects within the refurbishment program will also be transparently reviewed and re-examined.”
He and his wife, East Kalimantan MP Sarifah Suraidah, are known in the province for a flamboyant image that critics say appears increasingly out of touch with ordinary Indonesians.
Ms. Sarifah frequently posts photos of herself on social media wearing a fur-trimmed coat, pearl necklace, wide-brimmed hat and flowing robe, inspired by European fashion from Indonesia’s Dutch colonial era.
The Indonesians nicknamed her “Noni Beranda“, or “Young Dutch Lady” – a term often associated with privileged women from the Dutch colonial period. Mr Rudy used the nickname when introducing her at a business gathering in Makassar, Sulawesi.
Many social media users criticized the family’s image, accusing its members of acting like royalty at a time when ordinary Indonesians are being told to tighten their belts.
Dr Dedi Kurnia Syah, executive director of research group Indonesian Political Perspectives, said the controversy reflected a wider pattern in Indonesia.
“Family power in Indonesia is already widespread and exists in many places, not just East Kalimantan,” he told The Straits Times.
He said the controversy reflected the weaknesses of Indonesia’s political system. There are no rules prohibiting close relatives from holding office at the same time, and the General Election Commission only conducts administrative screening of candidates. He added that limited voter awareness allowed political dynasties to persist.
Dr Dedi said Indonesia should consider enacting rules to prevent immediate family members from running for multiple executive and legislative positions, so that only one family member can hold office at a time.
The development of the IKN as a new capital increased the rewards of governing rather than changing the political system.
“IKN won’t change anything,” he said. “As the potential for political and economic power increases exponentially, it only reinforces old patterns.”
The protests also prompted a formal challenge in the provincial legislature.
Student groups and lawmakers are seeking Hak Ankitor parliamentary powers of inquiry into Mr. Rudy’s policies.
As of early May, 21 of the 55 members of the Legislature had signed on to the motion. Eight of the nine parties in the House support the bill. The Pro Bloc party, the largest faction to which Masoud’s family belongs, has not approved the proposal.
If approved, the special committee would have 60 days to investigate and submit a report. The Legislature can then recommend policy changes or recommend the initiation of impeachment proceedings against the governor.
But Dr Dedi said even if the investigation was successful, its impact would likely be limited. He noted that political power in East Kalimantan is closely tied to powerful business interests, meaning established political families are likely to continue to receive support from economic groups.
“It only replaces one regime with a similar one,” he added.
