Gibran Responds to Rismon's Apology to Jokowi: Ramadan is a Month for Mutual Forgiveness

Jakarta – Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka has responded to the apology conveyed by researcher Rismon Sianipar to Indonesia’s seventh president Joko Widodo concerning his research in the book titled Jokowi’s White Paper.

In a written statement received by Antara in Jakarta on Thursday evening, Gibran stated that Ramadan is an excellent month for mutual forgiveness and for rekindling the bonds of brotherhood.

“Ramadan is a very good month for mutual forgiveness and for rekindling the bonds of brotherhood,” said Gibran.

Vice President Gibran also commended Rismon’s statement and stance, having provided clarification and his willingness to review statements previously made to the public. This step was deemed to demonstrate maturity in democracy.

Previously, Rismon Sianipar visited the residence of Indonesia’s seventh president Joko Widodo to apologise concerning his research in the book Jokowi’s White Paper.

“As I have clarified over the past day or two, over the past two months I have continued my research. If it is called a re-examination, re-studying all the methodologies that I wrote independently. So I must emphasise, I independently wrote the methodology across approximately 480 pages out of the more than 700 pages in the Jokowi’s White Paper book,” he said after visiting Jokowi’s residence in Solo, Central Java, on Thursday.

In that research, he claimed there were several new findings which he was prepared to defend scientifically and academically.

One of his findings concerned the authenticity of Jokowi’s diploma. According to him, several aspects that became the subject of his examination included the embossing and watermarks on the diploma, as well as the absence of a hologram.

He stated that based on these features, he now believes in a new finding that there are no irregularities regarding the authenticity of Jokowi’s diploma.

“I also felt hurt by my own findings because I had to honestly state that my findings would be attacked, insulted, and labelled as betrayal, but research is research. What can test research is the research result itself, whether by me or others. Well, I conveyed that to the investigator about a week ago to the investigator and to the Director of General Crime,” said the suspect in the defamation case related to accusations of a forged diploma involving Jokowi.