Receives Hamper from Gibran, Rismon Still Required to Report to Police During Lebaran

Metro Jaya Police stated that Rismon Hasiholan Sianipar, the suspect in the alleged fraudulent diploma case against Indonesia’s seventh President Joko Widodo, remains obliged to report regularly even after filing for restorative justice.

The Head of Public Relations for Metro Jaya Police, Brigadier General Budi Hermanto, said Rismon must continue his mandatory reporting requirement, including during Lebaran or Idul Fitri.

“He can coordinate with the investigator with certain reasons. The mandatory reporting requirement is about monitoring a person with suspect status,” Budi said in Jakarta on Friday (13 March).

Budi also stated that Rismon could coordinate with the investigator by citing specific reasons if he cannot attend mandatory reporting sessions.

“The investigator will certainly allow it for humanitarian reasons, during major Islamic occasions, during Idul Fitri prayers, gathering with family—that is still permitted,” he explained.

However, Budi emphasised that the mandatory reporting requirement cannot be delegated to anyone, including family members. “It cannot. The law applies to the suspect status and cannot be transferred,” he said.

Nevertheless, Rismon could send a notification letter to the investigator or communicate via telephone or WhatsApp with clear evidence that can be legally substantiated explaining a particular reason for absence.

Hamper from Gibran

Vice President Gibran Rakabuming gave Rismon an Lebaran hamper during their meeting at the Vice Presidential Palace in Jakarta on Friday (13 March).

Rismon, a suspect in the defamation case over allegations regarding Jokowi’s diploma, met with Gibran after reversing his position in the diploma case.

Following the meeting, Rismon expressed his desire to invite Roy Suryo and Dr Tifa—fellow suspects in the case—for a discussion to prove the authenticity of Jokowi’s undergraduate degree from UGM (Gadjah Mada University).

“I invite Mr Roy Suryo or others, let us openly invite journalists. I will demonstrate my method of how lighting from a certain angle can remove certain colours that are chromatically or numerically close to other colours,” he said.

Including Rismon, there are eight suspects in total in the defamation case over allegations of Jokowi’s forged diploma at Metro Jaya Police. Through his book “Jokowi’s White Paper,” Rismon previously attempted to scientifically prove that Jokowi’s diploma was fraudulent.

However, he now follows the path of his fellow suspect in the case, Eggi Sudjana, who filed for restorative justice first and had his case discontinued. After vigorously accusing Jokowi of holding a forged diploma, Rismon now believes that Indonesia’s seventh President’s diploma is authentic.

“There is no digital manipulation as I concluded in the book Jokowi’s White Paper. What does that mean? Its authenticity has been preserved,” Rismon said after being received by Jokowi at his residence in Solo, Central Java, on Thursday (12 March).

A day earlier, Rismon had also met Jokowi at his residence in Sumber, Solo, Central Java. Following the meeting, he apologised to his host. Rismon also claimed he is now conducting new research that will reveal contrary scientific facts about Jokowi’s diploma.

“As an independent researcher who is responsible, unbiased, and without any political affiliation, a researcher must be able to acknowledge his mistakes and correct his own findings,” he said in Solo.