Indonesian president pays $800 for Metallica gift

22 February 2018

President Joko Widodo shows off the Metallica album from Danish Prime Minister Lars Rasmussen — Image caption,
Danish Prime Minister Lars Rasmussen gave President Joko Widodo the album in November

By News from Elsewhere...

...as found by BBC Monitoring

Indonesia's President Joko Widodo has paid 11m rupiah ($800; £600) to keep a rare Metallica album he received as a gift, to avoid any conflict of interest, local media report.

The signed, limited-edition vinyl box set of Metallica's Master of Puppets was given to Mr Widodo by the Danish Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen when he visited in November 2017, the website Kompas reports, external.

The president - popularly known as Jokowi - is a well-known metalhead and fan of the band. His attendance at rock concerts is part of his appeal to many as a person who mixes with regular people.

Joko Widodo attending a Metallica concert in 2013

Getty Images

Jokowi joined an enthusiastic crowd at a concert in Jakarta in 2013

Master of Puppets has sold over 10 million copies and is considered one of Metallica's most important albums.

After Mr Widodo reported the gift to the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), it ruled that the gift belonged to the state as he received it while in office.

The KPK praised his actions, saying that he set an example for other government officials when receiving gifts from their foreign counterparts, news website Detik reported, external.

The thing that should not be

"This is not about the money paid, but consistent awareness of corruption in even the smallest matter," a spokesman said.

Corruption watchdog Transparency International this week listed Indonesia in 96th place out of 180 countries and territories in its 2017 Corruption Perceptions index.

The watchdog's Indonesian arm noted that the country still had much to do to reach "average corruption" levels, the Berita Satu website said, external.