Supreme Court Grants Gibran's Diploma Appeal, High School Equivalency Certificate Declared Invalid

 The controversy surrounding the validity of Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka’s educational documents has entered a new phase. The Supreme Court (MA) has reportedly granted a *cassation* (appeal to the Supreme Court) in a lawsuit alleging unlawful conduct concerning an educational equivalency certificate—equivalent to a high school (SMA) diploma—which Gibran used to meet the eligibility requirements for his candidacy in the 2024 Presidential Election.

The ruling, delivered on Friday (October 30, 2026), marks a significant development in the long-standing dispute over whether Gibran met the educational requirements to serve as vice president.

News of the ruling was conveyed by the plaintiff, Muhammad Subhan, via the Supreme Court’s electronic court system (*e-Court*). The case is registered under the number 742 K/TUN/2026.

"I received a notification from the Supreme Court through my *e-Court* account on October 30, 2026. Regarding case number 742/K/TUN/2026, the verdict is that the *cassation* has been granted," said Subhan.

In his lawsuit, Subhan presented three primary demands: first, that the panel of judges grant the lawsuit in its entirety; second, that Gibran’s educational equivalency certificate be declared invalid; and third, that the document be withdrawn from the party currently holding it—namely, the Directorate General of General and Special Education under the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education.

However, as of the time of writing, the full text of the Supreme Court’s (MA) ruling has not yet been uploaded to the institution’s official website. Supreme Court spokesperson Yanto stated that he had not yet received information regarding the ruling in question.

“I don’t know yet; let me check first,” he said when asked for confirmation. Consequently, the specific legal reasoning and administrative consequences of the ruling remain pending official publication by the Supreme Court.

Aligned with Constitutional Court Findings

This Supreme Court ruling has drawn significant attention, as it follows the Constitutional Court’s (MK) earlier identification of fundamental issues concerning Gibran’s educational documentation.

In its ruling on case No. 01/PHPU.PRES-XXIV/2026, delivered on October 6, 2026, the Constitutional Court stated that it found no convincing evidence that Gibran possessed any foreign diploma, certificate, or equivalent credential confirming the completion of a high school-level education or its equivalent.

The Constitutional Court specifically highlighted a formal letter (Surat Keterangan) numbered 9149/D.D1/KS/2019, issued by the Ministry of Education and Culture, which served as the document for the recognition/equivalency of Gibran’s education.

According to the Constitutional Court’s reasoning, the documents—consisting of a "certificate of attendance" and other supporting materials—did not attest to the successful completion of a specific level of education; rather, they merely confirmed attendance at academic sessions.

Nevertheless, the Constitutional Court declared the petition inadmissible due to issues regarding the petitioners' legal standing. The Court further emphasized that it lacked the authority to annul the election or disqualify Gibran, who had already been inaugurated as Vice President.

It is within this context that the Supreme Court’s cassation ruling gains significance. The case handled by the Supreme Court pertains directly to the validity of the educational equivalency document, rather than being merely a dispute over election results.

Denny Indrayana, a former Deputy Minister of Law and Human Rights who has been closely following this matter, shared news of the Supreme Court’s cassation ruling via his personal Instagram account. “Mr. Subhan’s cassation appeal seeking the annulment of the certificate of educational equivalency for Gibran has been GRANTED,” wrote Denny.

He noted that the Supreme Court’s ruling aligns with the Constitutional Court’s reasoning, which found no evidence of a high school diploma or equivalent graduation document belonging to Gibran.

Gibran Was Prepared to Disclose Documents

Amidst these developments, Gibran had previously faced a separate lawsuit at the Jakarta Administrative Court (PTUN) concerning a certificate of educational equivalence issued by the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education.

However, the lawsuit—filed by PT Mercy Toga Kirana—was ultimately withdrawn by the plaintiff on Thursday (October 29, 2026).

Gibran expressed regret over the withdrawal of the lawsuit, noting that he had already prepared all the necessary documentation for the evidentiary phase of the proceedings.

"We had prepared all the documents for the evidentiary hearing, and we were ready to be fully transparent—but what can you do? The plaintiff decided to back out," Gibran said following Friday prayers at the Jami Ar-Ridho Mosque in West Jakarta on Friday (October 30, 2026), as reported by Antara.

This statement indicates that Gibran was prepared to provide clarification regarding the educational documents in question. However, the withdrawal of the administrative lawsuit meant that the evidentiary process for the case did not proceed.

Public attention is now focused on the full text of the Supreme Court’s cassation ruling. Several legal questions remain unanswered—specifically regarding the consequences of the annulment of the equivalence certificate, the obligations of the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education as the issuing authority, and how this ruling relates to the fulfillment of educational requirements for Gibran’s candidacy in the 2024 Presidential Election.

Article 169, letter r, of Law Number 7 of 2017 concerning General Elections explicitly requires that candidates for president and vice president must have completed, at a minimum, a high school education (SMA, Madrasah Aliyah, SMK, or an equivalent institution).

Ultimately, this issue extends beyond the personal documents of a state official. Furthermore, the matter touches upon the principle of equality before the law, the certainty of state administration, and the integrity of candidacy requirements within Indonesian democracy.

The public is now awaiting an official explanation from the Supreme Court. This is because transparency regarding the basis for the issuance of educational documents and the process of fulfilling candidacy requirements is a crucial component of accountability in the governance of the state. (Onny)