Gayus Lumbuun: Resolving Jokowi's Diploma Case Through Administrative Court Is Highly Appropriate

Criminal law expert Professor Gayus Lumbuun stated that resolving the alleged fake diploma case of Indonesia’s 7th President Joko Widodo through the State Administrative Court (PTUN) is highly appropriate. According to him, proving the authenticity of a document ratified by the state through the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Technology falls under the jurisdiction of the PTUN. “The focus of the PTUN is on the facts regarding the entire administrative process that produced the document (diploma) in accordance with the competence, procedures, and substance required by administrative law,” he said in a statement received in Jakarta on Monday. He therefore asserted that resolving the alleged fake diploma case through a criminal court would reach a dead end. He explained that the focus of a criminal court lies on the act of a person creating, using, or ordering the use of a fake document. “This is important to understand so that the public knows and understands the difference in focus between a criminal court and the PTUN,” said the Supreme Court Justice for the 2011–2018 period. If someone sues a State Administrative Decision, in this case a product related to the graduation process issued by an educational institution and ratified by the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Technology (a diploma), then the PTUN has the authority to examine it. Furthermore, Gayus said the court will also examine whether the student holding the diploma met the academic requirements, including attending lectures, taking exams, undergoing a judicium, and whether the graduation was determined by an authorised official. “If irregularities are found, the PTUN can use the document as evidence to assess whether the administrative decision is valid or not,” he said. He stated that to measure the falsity or authenticity of a document in the PTUN, the procedure used is essentially based on the General Principles of Good Governance, as regulated in Law Number 30 of 2014 concerning Government Administration. Regarding the decision of the General Elections Commission which was based on the document (diploma), he said the PTUN can examine whether the administrative decision is valid or not. In conducting the examination, Gayus said the PTUN must focus on the legality of the administrative decision derived from the document (diploma). In the case of Jokowi’s alleged fake diploma, the Jakarta PTUN has rejected the objection filed by Gadjah Mada University against the Central Information Commission’s ruling, which requires Joko Widodo’s diploma and academic documents to be disclosed to the public, via the e-court system on Thursday (30/7). In the ruling for case number 126/G/KI/2026/PTUN.JKT, the panel of judges rejected UGM’s objection in its entirety and upheld the Central Information Commission of the Republic of Indonesia’s Decision Number 055/X/KIP-PSI-A/2025 dated 10 March 2026.