7 Clarifications by Rifaldy Fajar and Team in Alleged Research Fraud Case
International academic circles were recently rocked by allegations of scientific research fraud at the International Society of Pneumonia and Pneumococcal Diseases (ISPPD) conference held in Copenhagen, Denmark, from 17-21 May 2026. In response to the controversy, the individuals involved—Prihantini, Rifaldy Fajar, and Rini Winarti—have issued an official clarification. Through a Threads post under Rifaldy and Team’s name, they publicly apologised for actions that undermined academic integrity. Here are the seven key points of their clarification:
In their opening statement, the team acknowledged their activities had sparked major controversy among global researchers. ‘With utmost humility, we apologise unreservedly to all parties for the controversy and commotion arising from our international conference activities,’ the statement read.
They openly admitted that their primary motivation for attending the prestigious conference was not purely academic advancement, but for financial and personal gain. They apologised for participating to secure travel grants and opportunities to travel abroad.
A critical point in the scandal involves the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in research preparation. They confessed to inappropriate AI usage, including falsifying AI-generated content during research development, framing, and representation that failed to meet academic transparency standards.
Regarding affiliations listed in their papers, the team clarified that some institutions were unilaterally included. They apologised for using institutional names without permission or official involvement, confirming the errors were entirely their own.
In addition to falsely claiming formal institutions, they admitted misleadingly using the name of an independent research community, creating the impression it was a legitimate official body in the eyes of international organisers and conference attendees.
Other ethical violations acknowledged include listing individuals who were not present or directly involved in the research, as well as one person representing multiple authors during presentations without proper authorisation.
In closing their clarification, Prihantini, Rifaldy, and Rini expressed deep regret for damaging public trust in academic integrity. They committed to treating the Copenhagen incident as a major life lesson and vowed not to repeat such actions in the future.