Indonesia’s Secretary of State Minister, Prasetyo Hadi, confirmed that the Rolex watches given to the Indonesian national football team were purchased using President Prabowo Subianto’s personal funds.
President Prabowo gifted the luxury watches to officials and team members during a lunch at his home on Jalan Kertanegara Number 4 in South Jakarta on June 6, 2025. When asked about the source of the gifts on June 10 at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta, Prasetyo stated, “Definitely personal money.”
Prasetyo added that the value of the watches could not match the team’s contribution. The Indonesian national team had just defeated China 1-0 in the World Cup qualifiers at Gelora Bung Karno Main Stadium, Senayan, Jakarta, on June 5, 2025. However, he declined to disclose the total amount spent on the Rolex watches.
The day after the victory, President Prabowo hosted a lunch at his residence with officials and team members. After the gathering, players were seen leaving with black paper bags from “The Time Place,” a high-end watch boutique in Indonesia.
When asked about the source of the gifts, Erick Thohir, Chairman of the All Indonesia Football Association (PSSI), said, “It seems so, but I’m not really sure.”
Justin Hubner, a player on the national team, shared a video on his Instagram account justinhubner5. The video showed a black bag containing a green Rolex box, which held a silver watch with a black dial.
The luxurious gift sparked a social media buzz. Comedian and director Ernest Prakasa tweeted on his X account, “I’m happy for the players who have fought. But as a citizen, it seems reasonable if I’m confused, they said it’s about saving money, and then this, where does the budget come from?” Ernest clarified that his comment was as a citizen, not as a public figure.
The tweet generated mixed reactions online. On June 8, 2025, Ernest closed his X account, writing, “It was fun, but it’s no longer what it used to be.” He did not specify whether the closure was related to the controversy. Tempo attempted to contact Ernest for comment but received no response.
