Gibran Diploma Ruling: Gerindra’s Azis Says Grounds for Dismissal Must Be Tested

Jakarta (VIVA) — The Constitutional Court’s Decision No. 01/PHPU.PRES-XXIV/2026, which stated that it had found no convincing evidence in the form of a certificate, diploma or other qualification relating to Vice-President Gibran Rakabuming Raka’s overseas education, continues to draw comment. One response came from Azis Subekti, a member of the House of Representatives’ Commission II from the Gerindra Party and a member of the special committee deliberating the Election Bill. He referred to Articles 7A and 7B.

Azis said democracy was not a political contest that could continue without limit.

He also stressed that elections had stages, dispute-resolution mechanisms and constitutional provisions that must be respected, so the government could return to working in the public interest.

“There comes a time when a nation must ensure that political contests have an end,” Azis said in a press release received on Saturday (24 October 2026).

Azis said democratic certainty was necessary to prevent the country from remaining in a state of political dispute.

He compared democracy to a football match, which has rules and a time limit.

“Democracy has rules as well as a time limit. In football, there is the duration of the match, a referee, match officials and VAR,” he said.

According to Azis, decisions in a match can be challenged through the available procedures.

However, the result cannot be decided by spectators themselves, nor can the match be forced to continue being replayed until it produces the outcome desired by a particular group.

“Decisions can be criticised and objections raised in accordance with the rules. But spectators cannot decide the result themselves or order the match to be replayed repeatedly until it produces the winner they want,” Azis said.

Azis said the same principle applied to state affairs, including calls for the President and Vice-President to be removed from office.

He said Articles 7A and 7B of the 1945 Constitution set out the grounds and procedures for dismissing the President and Vice-President, involving the House of Representatives, an examination and ruling by the Constitutional Court, and a decision by the People’s Consultative Assembly.

He said the strictness of this process reflected respect for the people’s mandate, expressed through the direct election of the President and Vice-President.

“The grounds for dismissing the President must be assessed in relation to the President’s own conduct or circumstances under the Constitution. They cannot simply be inferred from a dispute concerning the Vice-President,” he said.