Ministry and BRIN to Question Four Indonesians Over Alleged Research Fraud
The Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology (Kemendiktisaintek) is continuing to investigate alleged research fraud committed by four Indonesian citizens. The four will be questioned by Kemendiktisaintek.
Minister Brian Yuliarto stated on Wednesday that they had already been questioned by UNY. A joint team from Kemendiktisaintek, the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), and UNY is scheduled to question them further on Friday.
Kemendiktisaintek has established an investigation team to probe the case, led by Acting Inspector General Nur Syarifah. Minister Brian Yuliarto said the alleged violation threatens to undermine the credibility of Indonesian research, necessitating serious follow-up.
‘Academic integrity is the main foundation for the advancement of science. Public trust in research results is built through honesty, accountability, and adherence to scientific ethics. Therefore, any alleged violation that has the potential to damage the credibility of Indonesian research must be followed up seriously and objectively,’ Brian said.
Brian noted that Kemendiktisaintek and BRIN have agreed to strengthen coordination in handling this case, including communicating with law enforcement to find possible legal offences that can be processed further. Besides this, both institutions are reviewing various administrative and criminal measures permitted by legislation, including restricting access to government-funded programmes, facilities, and funding.
Kemendiktisaintek has also conducted an in-depth review. Preliminary findings indicate the alleged unauthorised use of UNY’s name in various international scientific activities. Furthermore, indications were found of using units or departments that do not exist within the university’s official organisational structure, using affiliations with other institutions without authority, and allegedly misappropriating researchers’ identities to support participation in various international academic forums.
Minister Brian previously stated there are currently four suspected perpetrators of the research fraud at an international forum, all of whom are undergraduate alumni of Yogyakarta State University (UNY). He confirmed during a meeting that while their undergraduate degrees are from UNY, their postgraduate degrees are from various other institutions. Brian added that the four suspects are not university lecturers and that administratively, Kemendiktisaintek lacks the legal framework to sanction them directly.
The International Society for Pneumonia and Pulmonary Diseases (ISPPD) 2026 scientific conference took place from 17 to 21 May 2026. A group of Indonesian researchers consisting of Prihantini, Rifaldy Fajar, and Rini Winarti presented several research findings considered highly impressive. Upon investigation, suspicions arose that the research they presented was fabricated and never actually conducted. The perpetrators also allegedly falsified their identities. This was revealed by researcher Ida Bagus Mandhara Brasika via his Threads account.
‘Several Indonesians were caught carrying out organised fraud in front of thousands of world scientists. This was uncovered at the ISPPD 2026 scientific conference, a prestigious scientific conference for pneumonia experts worldwide held this year in Copenhagen, Denmark,’ Mandhara Brasika wrote on his Threads account. He continued, ‘One of the perpetrators falsified their identity. The method involved changing names during presentations, simply by changing hijabs and nametags. What’s even crazier… Not only the identity, but the research was also fake! Created using AI and/or data fabrication. The research was made to look extremely impressive, even though the research never existed. The data was fake, generated by AI, including the images and text.’