Information Commission Rules Vice President Gibran's Diploma Equivalency Documents Must Be Disclosed
The Central Information Commission (KIP) panel of commissioners has upheld all claims in a public information dispute filed by Bonatua Silalahi against the Ministry of Education and Culture (Kemendikdasmen). Bonatua had previously requested documents concerning the educational equivalency of Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka’s Grade 12 qualification from the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) Insearch Sydney.
“The petitioner is accepted in full,” stated Syawaludin, head of the KIP commissioner panel, during a hearing at KIP headquarters in Central Jakarta on Wednesday, 11 March 2026, as monitored via KIP’s YouTube channel.
In a separate ruling, the KIP annulled the decision by the Ministry of Education and Culture’s Information and Documentation Management Officer (PPID) numbered 29383/A5/HM.00.00/2025, which had classified the educational equivalency certificate and assessment documentation as confidential information, made on 12 December 2025.
The panel also declared the copies of evaluation documents and minutes from the diploma equivalency assessment panel regarding Gibran Rakabuming Raka’s qualifications as public information. This disclosure includes the completeness checklist that Gibran submitted when applying for the educational equivalency certificate.
The panel ordered the Ministry of Education and Culture to provide the requested information to Bonatua once the court decision becomes final.
“As specified in paragraphs 6.3 and 6.4 to the petitioner after this ruling acquires the force of final law,” Syawaludin stated.
In his considerations, Syawaludin noted that the KIP has the authority to receive, examine, and rule on this petition. The panel concluded that Bonatua possesses legal standing to file the dispute request.
Syawaludin stated that the Ministry of Education and Culture, as the respondent, also has legal standing. Additionally, the deadline for submitting the public information dispute settlement request has met the timeframe specified by the KIP Law.
“This also applies to the KIP regulation on Standard for Public Information Services and the KIP regulation on Procedures for Settlement of Public Information Disputes,” he stated.
The panel also assessed that Bonatua had valid legal grounds for requesting information related to Gibran’s educational qualifications.
“The petitioner has a legal basis founded on applicable legislation in filing the dispute in question,” he stated.
In case number 083/X/KIP-PSI/2025, Bonatua requested documents concerning the educational equivalency of Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka’s Grade 12 qualification from the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) Insearch Sydney. The two documents requested were the copy of the educational equivalency certificate for Grade 12 (UTS Insearch, Sydney, 2006) under Gibran Rakabuming Raka’s name.
Bonatua also requested a copy of the minutes from the diploma equivalency assessment panel meeting that formed the basis for issuing that equivalency certificate.