Prosecutor Protests Irrelevant Questions, Nadiem's Lawyer: Permission to Laugh, Panel

Public prosecutors (JPU) protested questions from the legal counsel of former Minister of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology Nadiem Anwar Makarim. The prosecutors assessed that the questions posed by the legal counsel were far from the context of the case. The protest was raised by the prosecutors during the defendant’s examination hearing at the Jakarta Corruption Court on Monday (11/5/2026). However, the prosecutors’ protest was met with a humorous response from the legal counsel’s side. “Panel, please permit us; we respect the questions. We object to these questions. Because in our assessment, these questions are far from the context and substance of this case,” the prosecutor interjected. “What is the objection about?” the judge asked. “It’s about the demographic bonus, injustice, arrogant attitude, considerations for becoming a minister; it’s quite far from the context of the case we’re discussing,” the prosecutor replied. “We request permission to laugh, Panel,” the legal counsel responded. The judge then mediated. The judge stated that the hearing was currently underway with the agenda of examining the defendant, and it was the advocate’s turn to ask questions. “Just a moment, the current position is that the one being examined is the defendant, so please, the advocate can inquire about what is felt at this time,” the judge explained. Nadiem then resumed providing answers to the legal counsel’s questions. However, shortly afterwards, the prosecutor interjected again. This time, the prosecutor requested that the legal counsel not record video. “Permission, Your Honour, apologies, Your Honour, we object to the legal counsel taking a zoom video from that side over there. We already agreed at the beginning of the hearing that it is not allowed,” the prosecutor said. “Please stop the filming; not from this side over here, so as not to disturb the defendant who is currently being examined. We already agreed not to take images from that position over here,” the judge stated.