Jokowi's Diploma Challenged Again, Plaintiff is UGM Alumnus
The diploma of Indonesia’s 7th President, Joko Widodo, has been challenged again, this time by a lawyer from Klaten who is also an alumnus of the Faculty of Law at UGM, Sigit Pratomo. The lawsuit was filed as a civil case at the Solo District Court (PN Solo).
Sigit is suing Jokowi for unlawful acts, under case number 101/Pdt.G/2026/PN Skt. The co-defendants in the case are Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) as co-defendant 1, and the Jakarta Metropolitan Police (Polda Metro Jaya) as co-defendant 2.
In the lawsuit, Jokowi is deemed to have acted unlawfully because he never attended the hearings against him, nor has he ever shown his original diploma to the public or in court.
The first hearing took place today, Tuesday (5/5), with the agenda of summoning the parties. The hearing was presided over by the Panel of Judges led by Bayu Soho Rahardjo, along with two Member Judges, Dian Erdianto and Ledis Meriana Bakara.
At the first hearing, the principals did not attend and were represented by their legal counsel. However, co-defendant 2 was absent without explanation. The Panel of Judges will summon co-defendant 2 again for the next hearing agenda.
“Since this is the first summons, we will try to summon again specifically the party that did not attend today’s hearing. Namely, co-defendant 2 from the Jakarta Metropolitan Police,” said the Chief Judge of the Panel, Bayu Soho Rahardjo, during the hearing at PN Solo on Tuesday (5/5).
The hearing was adjourned and will resume on Tuesday (19/5). He hopes that all parties can attend the next hearing.
Meanwhile, the plaintiff’s legal counsel, Dekka Ajeng Maharasri, said that they do not yet know if Jokowi’s diploma is authentic. Their side only acknowledges that Jokowi is a UGM alumnus.
“In principle, our lawsuit does not recognise Mr Jokowi’s diploma as authentic, but we want Mr Jokowi to attend the hearing and show the diploma. Regarding whether Mr Jokowi’s diploma is authentic or not, the person concerned knows, and that’s why we have positioned co-defendant Polda Metro Jaya and UGM to help Mr Jokowi show the diploma at PN Solo,” said Ajeng.
“The plaintiff only acknowledges the defendant as an alumnus and graduate,” she added.
Response from Jokowi’s side
Jokowi’s legal counsel, YB Irpan, disagreed that Jokowi’s reluctance to show his original diploma to the public or in court constitutes unlawful conduct. He argued that there is no court decision or order requiring him to do so.
“In the decisions that have been examined and tried so far, whether filed by Bambang Tri at the Central Jakarta District Court, or by Muhammad Taufiq, Top Taufan, and Bangun Sutoto, there is absolutely no court ruling that convicts or orders Mr Jokowi to show his Faculty of Forestry UGM diploma to the public; that does not exist,” Irpan told the media at PN Solo on Tuesday (5/5).
He assessed that this lawsuit does not need to be proven, as the claim is unfounded. This is because there is indeed no legal basis for Jokowi to show his diploma.
Jokowi himself is aware of the lawsuit and has appointed YB Irpan as his legal counsel. Jokowi responded to the lawsuit in a flat manner.
“Mr Jokowi’s response to this case is flat,” he said.
Nevertheless, he respects the lawsuit filed by the plaintiff. Because the content of the lawsuit does not contain any words or sentences that attack Jokowi’s honour.
“In the formulation of the lawsuit, it appears polite. So there is no claim in the lawsuit that attacks Mr Jokowi’s personal honour, like the previous lawsuits. We also respond in a tone and attitude that is humane,” he explained.
“Even the plaintiff acknowledges that Mr Jokowi is an alumnus of the Faculty of Forestry UGM,” he added.