Minister Dody Hanggodo's Kunker Document Invites Wife and Children to New York Leaked, PU Ministry Speaks Out

JAKARTA - The document listing the delegation of the Ministry of Public Works (PU) working visit to New York, United States, leaked and became a public discussion on social media.

Public attention is focused on the inclusion of the name of the wife and child of Minister PU Dody Hanggodo Lasmono in the official entourage scheduled to attend the United Nations (UN) agenda on July 13-19, 2026.

The letter from the Secretary General of the Ministry of PU Number HL04/T/Sj/2026/81 dated June 29, 2026 became a discussion after a number of social media accounts highlighted the presence of family members of ministers in the list of delegates.

A number of netizens even associated the trip with the alleged agenda of watching the 2026 World Cup Final which took place in the United States (US).

In the circulating document, the wife of PU Minister, Irma Hermawati, is listed using a diplomatic passport.

Meanwhile, his daughter, Aurellia Tsabitha Meidirama, was included in the list of delegates using a regular passport.

This situation raises questions about the urgency of family members' participation in foreign service trips, as well as speculation about the source of funding for their trips and accommodation.

Moreover, the letter was signed by the Secretary General of the Ministry of PU, Apri Artoto.

Responding to this, Apri claimed that the involvement of the Minister of PU's wife and children did not cost the State Budget (APBN) a penny.

"I need to emphasize here, for financing for the family, it will not use state funds. If there is indeed a departure from family members, financing will use personal funds," said Apri when met by reporters at the Ministry of PU's office, Jakarta, Tuesday, July 7.

He said that the inclusion of Dody's wife and child's names in the letter was for visa processing to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Kemenlu).

"Regarding the list, there are family members, it is indeed in our communication with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the process of visa management, it should be included in one list," he said.

Meanwhile, regarding the name of Irma Hermawati which is written using a diplomatic passport, Apri said that the rules allow the wife of officials to receive this facility.

"According to the rules, the spouse (wife) of the official who is on duty can use a diplomatic passport to follow the husband," he explained.

Apri ensured that there was no state money derived from public taxes that was used to finance the manufacture of passports or other things.

"It doesn't use the state budget," he said.