Jakarta — President Joko Widodo, in a response following the Supreme Court’s ruling on the validity of Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka’s high school equivalency certificate, called for all parties to respect the legal process. Jokowi, speaking after a hearing at the East Jakarta District Court on Thursday (5/11/2026), emphasized the importance of upholding the constitution. “Yes, we respect all existing legal processes,” Jokowi stated. “Also, we respect the rights that exist in our constitution. I think that is it.”
The Supreme Court’s Final Verdict
The case stems from a Supreme Court decision, handed down on Friday (30/10), that nullified the 2019 certificate issued by the Ministry of Education and Culture, which had recognized Gibran’s foreign high school diploma as equivalent to an Indonesian one. The ruling, officially numbered 742 K/TUN/2026, was the culmination of a legal battle initiated by a resident named Subhan. The Supreme Court’s concise and decisive verdict read: “Accept the cassation. Quash the judgment of the court of first instance. Retrial: accept the plaintiff’s entire claim.” This effectively declared the certificate void and without legal force. According to the court’s official website, the cassation was filed against a previous decision by the Jakarta State Administrative Court, which had initially dismissed Subhan’s lawsuit. After an appeal was also rejected, Subhan took the case to the nation’s highest court and succeeded.
A Nation’s Legal Machinery in Motion
Following the Supreme Court’s decision, the 14-day deadline for execution began. This means the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology, now restructured as the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education (Kemendikdasmen), has until Wednesday, November 18, 2026, to formally revoke and destroy the certificate. This tight deadline was mandated by the Constitutional Court, which previously reduced the execution period for such judgments from 60 working days to just 14. Legal expert Oce Madril from Gadjah Mada University explained the significance of this timeframe. “So, if previously there was a 60-day period for TUN officials to implement the court’s decision, now it has been changed by the Constitutional Court to 14 working days, which the Constitutional Court deems sufficient to implement the decision,” he told Kompas.com. Oce further clarified that if Kemendikdasmen fails to act within the 14-day window, the certificate will be automatically voided, and the ministry is the entity legally bound to execute the Supreme Court’s order.
“In administrative law, there are three theories of ‘invalidation’. First, ‘void ab initio’, which means a decision is issued with indications of substantive defects, such as fraud, data manipulation, or incorrect data presentation. Then, the consequence is that the decision is considered as never having existed, both from the process of determination to the legal consequences it causes.”
The Constitutional Court also ruled that it found no evidence of the foreign high school diploma that formed the basis for the 2019 equivalency certificate. Some politicians are now pushing for a parliamentary inquiry. However, a key analyst from Atma Jaya University, Riawan Tjandra, told Hukumonline that the outcome likely depends on the stance of President Prabowo Subianto, the leader of the ruling coalition. If the administration does not adequately respond to the rulings, the issue of Gibran’s certificate will become a “thorn in the flesh” that will haunt the government until 2029.
As the clock ticks toward the November 18 deadline, the focus is squarely on the Kemendikdasmen.
More on Jokowi
The Supreme Court rules Gibran’s overseas high school diploma equivalency certificate legally invalid. (https://t.co/VztO9SSES5) pic.twitter.com/DM9lQPIF5N
MA Kabulkan Kasasi! Suket Penyetaraan Pendidikan Gibran Dinyatakan Batal Demi Hukum! Bom politik meledak lagi dari jalur hukum. Mahkamah Agung mengabulkan permohonan kasasi yang diajukan seorang warga bernama Subhan terkait surat keterangan penyetaraan pendidikan milik Wakil… pic.twitter.com/feeVcfgNor
