Indonesia VP Gibran's 'diploma-gate' may still haunt future after court ruling

Indonesia's Constitutional Court on Tuesday dismissed a legal challenge to Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka's educational eligibility, ruling that the plaintiffs lacked the legal standing to pursue the case. The decision followed lengthy hearings where evidence was presented regarding Gibran's overseas education.

The petitioners argued that Gibran, son of former president Joko Widodo, submitted documents that did not meet the election law's requirement for candidates to have completed senior high school or hold an equivalent qualification. They contended that the document submitted was a supporting letter from the Ministry of Education based on a Certificate of Attendance and an academic transcript from UTS College in Sydney, rather than a graduation certificate.

Despite the dismissal, the court acknowledged that there was no convincing evidence that Gibran's education met the required standard. However, Judge Adies Kadir stated that the court could not annul or disqualify him as he had already been sworn in as Vice President in October 2024. The court also indicated that the authority to address Gibran's eligibility might lie with other institutions.

Constitutional law expert Zainal Arifin Mochtar noted that while the applicants did not have standing, the proceedings highlighted substantive issues. He suggested that the Indonesian House of Representatives could potentially pursue impeachment proceedings against the vice president.