I have been working in the entertainment world for 25 years, and in the past six years, I have founded a number of businesses.
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesian celebrity Raffi Ahmad promptly dismissed an allegation by the National Corruption Watch (NCW) regarding his involvement in money laundering by affirming that his wealth was obtained from hard work.

"I have been working in the entertainment world for 25 years, and in the past six years, I have founded a number of businesses," Ahmad stated during a press conference here on Monday.

NCW Chair Hanifa Sutrisna had earlier pointed out that Ahmad had dozens of accounts that were used to receive money laundering funds from corruptors and defendants.

"We asked the Indonesian Corruption Eradication Commission, Attorney General, Bareskrim (crime and investigation) of the National Police to examine the flow of Raffi Ahmad's money," Sutrisna remarked.

Ahmad asserted that the accusation leveled against him regarding money laundering by corruptors is completely unfounded, and in fact, there is no evidence presented.

He claimed that the wealth he owns is not the result of any crime but rather obtained from hard work put in through the decades.

Moreover, Ahmad revealed that his company Rans, with a valuation of up to Rp2.7 trillion, would go public or sell it shares to the public in the near future.

"We also want to carry out an Initial Public Offering (IPO) in two to three years and have all the finances in order," he remarked.

Ahmad emphasized that he was holding a press conference to tender a clarification to the public and his business partners that he was not involved in any money laundering cases.

"My intention here is just to clarify and tabayyun. I think this is enough because there is already a lot of news, so I will clarify it in a good place," he affirmed.

As a public figure with a large following, Ahmad has publicly expressed his support for presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto and was spotted in his campaign rally on several occasions.

He was seen seated on the stage along with Prabowo and other campaign officials and urged people to vote for the retired general.

Ahmad's appearance at Prabowo's rally has drawn mixed reactions. Some people praised him for his support of the incumbent defense minister, while others have criticized him for getting involved in politics.

It remains to be seen whether Ahmad's endorsement will have a significant impact on the outcome of the election.

However, his appearance in Prabowo's campaign rally is a sign that he is taking his role as a public figure seriously and that he is willing to use his platform to influence the political process.

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Translator: Aditya Eko Sigit Wicaksono
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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