Noel Ebenezer recounts scavenging cups and washing cars to continue education

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com – Former Labour Deputy Minister Immanuel Ebenezer Gerungan recounted his difficult life journey during his plea statement in the ongoing corruption trial concerning occupational safety and health (K3) certification. Noel, the familiar name for Immanuel, said he grew up without a father and faced harsh living conditions from a young age. “I grew up without a father. When I was around two years old, my father passed away,” Noel said at the Jakarta Corruption Court hearing on Monday (25 May 2026). Difficult economic conditions forced him to survive through various means to continue his education. “We did not have a permanent home. My childhood was spent moving from one rental house to another,” he said. “I once scavenged and sold mineral water plastic cups. I also washed cars and took on small jobs to ensure my education didn’t stop,” he added. According to Noel, these life experiences shaped his perspective on the struggles of ordinary people and the underprivileged. “I see people, I see my younger self, I see my mother, I see families struggling to get by,” Noel said. Noel faces a five-year prison sentence in the alleged extortion case concerning K3 certification processing. The prosecution read the sentence request during a hearing at the Jakarta Corruption Court on Monday (18 May 2026). During the sentencing hearing, the prosecutor stated that Noel was proven guilty of corruption as charged. “The prosecution demands a five-year prison sentence for defendant Immanuel Ebenezer Gerungan,” the prosecutor said in court.