Government urged to conduct thorough probe into research fraud scandal over 'travel grants'

Vice Chair of the People’s Representative Council’s Tenth Commission, Lalu Hadrian Irfani, has urged the government to investigate allegations of research fraud by certain researchers seeking travel grants for international scientific conferences.

He stated the case must be taken seriously due to its implications for academic integrity and public trust.

“The government must conduct a transparent and objective investigation to establish the facts. If found guilty, perpetrators should face strict sanctions, both academic and legal,” Lalu told reporters on Thursday (28 May 2026).

“The government must also tighten oversight and selection of research grants to prevent recurrence and preserve Indonesia’s research credibility,” Lalu added.

Social media has been abuzz with allegations of research fabrication by Indonesian participants at the 2026 International Society of Pneumonia and Pneumococcal Diseases (ISPPD) conference in Copenhagen, Denmark.

The suspected effort was to secure free funding to attend the overseas conference.

“The Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology (Kemdikbudristek) is monitoring reports of alleged academic integrity and research ethics violations involving individuals using Indonesian institutional affiliations,” Brian told Kompas.com on Wednesday (27 May 2026).

Including participant status, the nature of affiliations used, and their connection to Indonesian higher education institutions or research bodies.