A Range Rover, a ‘Dutch Lady’ and a political dynasty rising in Indonesia’s new capital

JAKARTA – In East Kalimantan where Indonesia is building its new capital, a Range Rover costing more than half a million Singapore dollars has sparked public protests against one of the province’s most powerful political families.

The controversy first drew public attention in March, after reports that the provincial government had procured the Range Rover 3.0 Autobiography Long Wheel Base worth 8.5 billion rupiah, or more than S$617,000, as Governor Rudy Mas’ud’s new official vehicle.

The vehicle became part of a wider spending row after details of the provincial budget circulated in the Indonesian media, including 25 billion rupiah to renovate the official residences of the governor and deputy governor, 125 million rupiah for a massage chair and 198 million rupiah for a saltwater aquarium. Social media posts also circulated details of a 450 million rupiah allocation for laundry services.

Public anger grew into demonstrations in late April and early May and allegations of corruption, collusion and nepotism, drawing attention to the growing influence of the Mas’ud family.

The controversy has resonated far beyond East Kalimantan because the province is at the centre of Indonesia’s most ambitious development project.

East Kalimantan is home to Nusantara, also known by its Indonesian acronym IKN, short for Ibu Kota Nusantara, a vast new city that is planned to replace Jakarta as Indonesia’s administrative capital.

Former president Joko Widodo launched the project to address severe congestion and land subsidence in Jakarta and to spread economic development beyond the island of Java.

The relocation project is expected to bring tens of billions of dollars in government spending and private investment into East Kalimantan, sharply increasing the political and economic importance of a region long known for coal mining, timber and oil.

Mr Rudy Mas’ud, who was elected in 2024, is one of four brothers who hold, or have held, some of the most influential posts in the province.

His brother Rahmad Mas’ud is Mayor of Balikpapan, the nearest major city to Nusantara and the main transit point for officials, investors and construction workers travelling to IKN. Another brother, Mr Hasanuddin Mas’ud, is Speaker of the East Kalimantan provincial Parliament.

A third brother, Mr Abdul Gafur Mas’ud, was regent of Penajam Paser Utara, the district where the presidential palace is located. He was arrested by the Corruption Eradication Commission in 2022 in a bribery case linked to a road construction project.

The local media and social media users have dubbed the family “Bani Mas’ud”, borrowing the Arabic prefix Bani – meaning “sons of” or “descendants of” – to label them the “Mas’ud clan”. In Indonesia, the phrase is often used satirically to suggest that a family has come to dominate political power.

During a protest in Samarinda, the provincial capital city, on May 6, student activist Tiyo Ardianto, chairman of the Student Executive Board at Gadjah Mada University, said: “What distinguishes a republic from an empire is that a republic is governed by all its citizens, while an empire is ruled by a few families. Today, East Kalimantan is controlled by a small number of families.”

The Mas’ud family gained national attention earlier in 2026 when President Prabowo Subianto, after being introduced to several officials with the same surname during a visit to East Kalimantan, asked in apparent surprise: “All Mas’ud?”

The spending plans emerged as Mr Prabowo called on ministries and officials to cut spending amid the economic pressure faced by many Indonesians.

Mr Rudy initially defended the Range Rover purchase, saying that East Kalimantan, as the home of Indonesia’s new capital, should reflect dignity and not appear “poor” to visitors. But he apologised on March 2 and said the purchase would be cancelled. The Indonesian media subsequently reported that the vehicle had been returned to the dealer.

However, fresh controversy erupted weeks later over costly renovations to the governor’s official residences. Mr Rudy posted a four-minute video on Instagram on April 26, apologising for the uproar. He said: “From the bottom of my heart, I express my deepest apologies for the commotion and discomfort that have occurred.”

He denied allegations that his family members had been appointed to positions in the provincial administration and said the spending plans would be reviewed.

“I will personally bear the cost of items at the official residence that are unrelated to official functions, including the massage chair and the saltwater aquarium,” he said. “All items in the renovation package will also be reviewed and re-audited transparently.”

He and his wife, Ms Sarifah Suraidah, an East Kalimantan MP, are known in the province for their flamboyant image, which critics say appears increasingly out of touch with the ordinary Indonesians.

Ms Sarifah frequently posts photographs of herself on social media in fur-trimmed coats, pearl necklaces, wide-brimmed hats and flowing gowns inspired by European fashion from Indonesia’s Dutch colonial era.

Indonesians have nicknamed her “noni Belanda”, or “Dutch young lady” – a term commonly associated with a privileged woman from the Dutch colonial period. Mr Rudy himself used the nickname when introducing her at a business gathering in Makassar on Sulawesi island.

Many social media users have criticised the family’s image, accusing its members of behaving like royalty at a time when ordinary Indonesians are being told to tighten their belts.

Dr Dedi Kurnia Syah, executive director of research agency Indonesia Political Opinion, said the controversy reflects a broader pattern in Indonesia.

“Family power in Indonesia is already common and occurs in many places, not only in East Kalimantan,” he told The Straits Times.

The controversy, he said, reflects weaknesses in Indonesia’s political system. There are no rules preventing close relatives from holding office at the same time, while the General Elections Commission conducts only administrative screening of candidates. He added that limited voter awareness has allowed political dynasties to persist.

Dr Dedi said Indonesia should consider rules preventing immediate family members from contesting multiple executive and legislative posts, so that only one member of a family can hold public office at a time.

The development of IKN as the new capital has increased the rewards of holding office rather than changing the political system.

“IKN does not change anything,” he said. “It only strengthens the old pattern because of the multiplied potential for political and economic power.”

The protests have also led to a formal challenge in the provincial legislature.

Student groups and lawmakers are seeking a hak angket, or parliamentary right of inquiry, into Mr Rudy’s policies.

Twenty-one of the legislature’s 55 members had signed the motion as at early May. Eight of the Chamber’s nine parties supported it. Golkar, the largest faction and the party to which the Mas’ud family belongs, has not endorsed the proposal.

If approved, a special committee would have 60 days to investigate and submit a report. The legislature could then recommend policy changes or recommend initiating impeachment proceedings against the governor.

But even if the inquiry succeeds, its impact may be limited, Dr Dedi said. He noted that political power in East Kalimantan is closely linked to powerful business interests, which means established political families are likely to continue receiving support from economic groups.

He added: “It will only replace one regime with a similar one.”