Noel Ebenezer's Closing Arguments Highlight Diploma Withholding as Modern Slavery

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - Former Deputy Labour Minister Immanuel Ebenezer Gerungan, known as Noel, has described the practice of withholding workers’ diplomas as modern slavery. ‘Because this practice of diploma withholding must be a system of modern slavery that the government appears to turn a blind eye to for decades,’ Noel said during his closing arguments in a corruption case involving alleged extortion related to Safety and Health Certification (K3) at the Jakarta Corruption Court on Monday (25 May 2026). He also pushed for the issuance of a Minister of Labour circular banning employers from holding workers’ diplomas or personal documents. Noel said the circular was a form of government support for workers. ‘To some, the circular may just be a document. But for workers whose diplomas are withheld, it is hope,’ he said. ‘When diplomas are withheld, it is not just the document that is held back, but also future opportunities and a person’s dignity,’ he added. In his plea, Noel also raised the issue of diploma withholding within the Lion Group. He claimed to have calculated the potential losses for workers due to the practice. ‘I once presented a simple calculation: if one diploma is ’bought back’ for Rp 40 million and 10,000 workers are affected, the total loss amounts to Rp 400 billion,’ he said. He admitted facing personal consequences after inspecting the issue. ‘After conducting surprise inspections and taking a stand on the matter, I faced personal repercussions,’ he said. ‘I am the only government official in the Republic who is barred from flying, particularly with Lion Air,’ Noel stated. Nevertheless, Noel insisted that his actions while in office were part of his duty to workers.