The Validity of Gibran Rakabuming Raka's Diploma is Sued in Civil Court

Jakarta, LiterasiHukum.com – The educational qualifications of Gibran Rakabuming Raka, used during his registration as a vice-presidential candidate in the 2024 Election, are now facing a judicial review in court. An advocate named Subhan Palal has filed a civil lawsuit against Gibran to the Central Jakarta District Court, registered under case number 583/Pdt.G/2025 PN Jakpus. This lawsuit specifically questions the alleged unlawful acts committed by Gibran. The main issue is the use of a diploma from an educational institution abroad, the equivalence of which to the educational standards of Senior High School (SLTA) in Indonesia is doubted, which is one of the formal requirements for candidacy. According to the plaintiff, Gibran's actions not only have the potential to be administratively flawed but have also caused losses, both to the plaintiff personally and to the Indonesian people in general, who have the right to qualified leadership candidates without doubt.

Legal Basis and Educational Background

Based on data released on the official portal of the General Elections Commission (KPU), Gibran's educational background includes two institutions abroad, namely Orchid Park Secondary School (2002-2004) and UTS Insearch Sydney (2004-2007). The plaintiff, Subhan Palal, expressed doubts as to whether these two levels of education can be legitimately recognized as equivalent to a SLTA diploma according to the education system of nationally Indonesia. The issue of equivalence of foreign diplomas is the central point of the lawsuit filed. This lawsuit reopens the legal discourse regarding the verification and validation of administrative requirements for public official candidates, as well as how civil law mechanisms can be used to test actions deemed detrimental to the public interest in the context of elections. With this access closed for up to five years, the space for public participation in monitoring and verifying candidates becomes very limited. In fact, Article 22E of the 1945 Constitution explicitly states that elections must be held "directly, generally, freely, secretly, honestly, and fairly" – which implicitly requires adequate information disclosure. This article is the result of paraphrasing and analysis of news reported by Tempo.co on September 14, 2025, entitled "The Legal Polemic of Gibran's Diploma."