Analysis: Court decision lets Gibran’s questionable diploma slide

The Constitutional Court's recent ruling has raised more questions than answers about the educational background of Vice President candidate Gibran Rakabuming Raka. The court found no convincing evidence that Gibran possessed a valid foreign diploma, certificate, or credential that would justify his Indonesian senior high school equivalency certificate.

Despite this, the court did not annul Gibran's candidacy or dismiss him from office as petitioners had demanded. In October 2023, the court had previously approved Gibran's eligibility to run for vice president by ruling that the minimum age requirement of 40 could be bypassed if an individual had previously held an elected regional post.

Gibran registered as Prabowo Subianto's running mate nine days later, following Anwar Usman's removal as chief justice for conflict of interest. The court determined that petitioners lacked legal standing, preventing a hearing on the merits of their case. The court also ruled that Gibran could not be removed from the race due to his inauguration in October 2024.

While the decision ensures Gibran's mandate remains intact, it highlights significant flaws in the electoral system's ability to enforce constitutional and legal requirements for executive office. The court has effectively become a platform to expose these institutional vulnerabilities. The General Elections Commission (KPU) claims compliance with regulations by referencing a 2019 Ministry of Education and Culture certificate and a decree from the ministry's Directorate General of Higher Education.

However, the court's observations indicate a stark contrast between the administrative affirmation of validity and the necessary need for substantive verification of educational records. The ruling emphasizes the KPU's failure to conduct factual verification of the actual educational documentation that supported the ministry's certification.