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Analysis: Jokowi’s fake diploma allegation sparks unnecessary controversy
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President Joko 'Jokowi' Widodo speaks with the media after the departure ceremony of the National Disaster Management Agency's (BNPB) mission to deliver humanitarian aid, 60 tonnes of medical and hygiene supplies on two planes, to Egypt for Palestinian refugees and Sudan at Halim Perdanakusuma International Airport in Jakarta on April 3, 2024. ) (AFP/Yasuyoshi Chiba)
T
he controversy surrounding an alleged fake university diploma belonging to former president Joko "Jokowi" Widodo appears to be nearing resolution, though legal consequences for involved individuals could still result in criminal charges.
The National Police have officially halted their investigation into the forged diploma allegations after forensic tests. These tests compared Jokowi’s diploma with those of three fellow students from Gadjah Mada University’s (UGM) School of Forestry, confirming its authenticity.
The investigation stemmed from a lawsuit by legal practitioner Muhammad Taufiq at the Surakarta District Court, challenging Jokowi’s educational credentials and his administration's legitimacy as Surakarta mayor (2005-2012). Taufiq's lawsuit also named the Surakarta General Elections Commission (KPU), SMAN 6 state senior high school of Surakarta and UGM as co-defendants.
Despite the police's assessment, Taufiq maintains that the court proceedings in Surakarta should continue.
However, Roy Suryo, a former youth and sports minister and a UGM alumnus known for questioning Jokowi's background, criticized the police investigation as opaque and lacking transparency. He intends to report the police investigators to internal oversight bodies like the National Police Commission (Kompolnas). Former Constitutional Court chief justice Jimly Asshiddiqie also argued that the police should not have had the final say, suggesting the matter be resolved in the State Administrative Court or a district court.
While the police have closed the forgery investigation, they are pursuing potential defamation charges linked to the allegations.
Taufiq himself faces legal trouble; he and others have been reported to the police by lawyer Asri Purwanti for alleged hate speech, defamation, incitement and providing false information. This led to Zaenal, a former member of Taufiq’s legal team, withdrawing from the case after being named a suspect in an unrelated document forgery investigation.
