New Chapter in Jokowi's Diploma Case: Plaintiff Now a UGM Alumnus

A new chapter unfolds in the ongoing saga surrounding President Joko Widodo's university diploma, as a fresh lawsuit emerges from a Gadjah Mada University (UGM) alumnus. The plaintiff, identified as Sigit Pratomo from Klaten, Central Java, has filed a civil suit at the Surakarta District Court, naming UGM and the Jakarta Metropolitan Police as co-defendants. The core of this legal challenge isn't necessarily about the authenticity of the diploma itself, but rather a demand for President Jokowi to appear in court and present his original UGM degree. This perspective is crucial: the aim is not to invalidate the diploma, but to compel the President's personal appearance and the presentation of the document. The first hearing, held on Tuesday, saw legal representatives for the parties present, though the President himself was absent. The court is expected to summon the co-defendants again for the next session. President Jokowi's legal counsel, YB Irpan, contends that there is no legal obligation for the President to publicly display his diploma, emphasizing that no court order mandates such an action. Despite this, Irpan stated that they respect the lawsuit, particularly noting its 'polite' and 'humanistic' tone, which avoids personal attacks on the President's honor, a departure from previous legal challenges. This case, therefore, is less about the diploma's validity and more about the legal process and the President's engagement with it, viewed from an Indonesian legal and cultural context where respect for institutions and due process are paramount.

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The principle today is that our lawsuit does not acknowledge Mr. Jokowi's diploma as original, but we want Mr. Jokowi to attend the trial and show the diploma. Whether Mr. Jokowi's diploma is original or not original, he is the one who knows.