THMP Issues Legal Notice to Denny Indrayana Regarding Gibran's Educational Requirements
The Red and White Law Team (THMP), a volunteer group supporting Prabowo Subianto and Gibran Rakabuming Raka during the 2024 Presidential Election, has issued a legal notice (somasi) to academic Denny Indrayana regarding his actions questioning the educational requirements of Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka.
The legal notice highlights the contest initiated by Denny regarding the existence of Gibran’s high school diploma or equivalent, as well as the legal steps he has taken through the Constitutional Court (MK).
THMP Coordinator Suhadi stated that the group believes Gibran’s legal standing as Vice President meets all applicable regulations. THMP cited Article 169, letter r of Law Number 7 of 2017 concerning Elections, which stipulates that the minimum educational requirement for Presidential and Vice Presidential candidates is the completion of high school or its equivalent. This provision remains part of the current electoral legal framework, despite various amendments and Constitutional Court rulings.
“THMP considers Gibrde’s legal position as Vice President to have met the applicable provisions. They refer to Article 169, letter r of Law Number 7 of 2017 on Elections, which regulates that Presidential and Vice Presidential candidates must have at least a high school education,” said Suhadi.
THMP also referenced KPU Regulation Number 19 of 2023 regarding the Nomination of Presidential and Vice Presidential Election Participants, which was subsequently amended via KPU Regulation Number 23 of 2023. According to THMP, these regulations govern the required educational documents for candidates, including provisions for those who pursued education abroad.
THMP maintains that these regulations must serve as the primary reference when examining Gibran’s educational credentials. They further argued that the public contest regarding Gibran’s high school diploma cannot serve as a valid basis to challenge his position as Vice President.
“The space opened by this contest is hollow if the interpretation of the high school diploma is limited to a narrow and measured perspective,” THMP wrote in its legal notice.
During the Constitutional Court proceedings, Denny Indrayana explained that a primary motivation for his lawsuit was the disclosure of documents related to Gibran’s educational requirements, which were obtained following a public information dispute. One petitioner claimed they had previously attempted to access Gibran’s educational documents, which were initially classified as confidential information. The petitioner subsequently filed a dispute with the Public Information Commission and won the case after approximately six months of proceedings.
According to Indrayana, since the Ministry did not file an appeal or further legal challenge, the documents were subsequently released to the public as they were deemed to be in the public interest.