Jokowi Accepts Apology from Rismon Sianipar in Fraudulent Diploma Case

JAKARTA — Indonesia’s seventh president, Joko Widodo, has accepted an apology from Rismon Sianipar regarding allegations of a fraudulent diploma against him, Jokowi’s legal counsel Yakup Hasibuan confirmed on Friday, 13 March 2026.

“Indeed, in principle President Jokowi accepts the apology and restorative justice petition from Rismon Sianipar,” Yakup told journalists.

Following Jokowi’s stance, Yakup stated that his team would promptly respond to the restorative justice petition that Sianipar had submitted to investigators at Metro Jaya Police headquarters. Jokowi’s legal team will leave the decision on the matter to the police.

“We will quickly inform the investigators about this for their consideration and determination,” he explained. “Since forgiveness is very personal, we are naturally deferring the matter to President Jokowi to decide.”

In a separate development, Rismon acknowledged that his research presented in his book “Jokowi’s White Paper” was flawed. He admitted that Jokowi’s diploma is authentic.

“Yes, it is genuine. Why? Based on my research, as I said, truth hurts. But what I felt was even more painful — if I was unwilling to reveal it,” Sianipar said after meeting Vice President Gibran Rakabuming at the Vice President’s Office in Jakarta on Friday, 13 March 2026.

Sianipar committed to taking responsibility for his error, pledging to atone by publishing a dedicated book correcting the record.

Previously, Sianipar had petitioned Metro Jaya Police for restorative justice regarding his suspect status in the fraudulent diploma case. Major General Iman Imanudin, director of criminal investigations at Metro Jaya Police, stated that Sianipar and his legal representatives had submitted the restorative justice facilitation petition to investigators the previous week. Police are currently processing the petition in accordance with applicable regulations.

“So several days ago Rismon Sianipar and his lawyer submitted a request for restorative justice facilitation to the investigators,” Iman said at Metro Jaya Police headquarters on Wednesday, 11 March 2026.