Rumours regarding the authenticity of the university diploma owned by Joko Widodo (Jokowi), 7th president of Indonesia, began to intensify since 2022 following the last election he participated in. The document claims that he graduated from the Faculty of Forestry at Gadjah Mada University (UGM) on 5 November 1985.[1] The Indonesian government have regularly dismissed the accusation of a "fake diploma", and Jokowi later threatened to report those questioning its authenticity.[2][3] UGM has also insisted that the original diploma is being held by Jokowi.[1]
On 17 June 2015, deputy speaker of the House of Representatives Commission X, Ridwan Hisyam, requested to Jokowi to reveal his diplomas to the public, in order to end the practice of producing fake diplomas. He made this statement after Ministry of Research and Technology previously declared International Management Institution of Indonesia (LMII) as an illegal higher educational institution.[5]
On 21 January 2019, Umar Kholid Harahap was arrested by the Criminal Investigation Agency, after claiming that junior (SMP) and senior high school (SMA) diplomas owned by Jokowi were fake. He was also accused for "spreading fake news".[6] His claim had been reposted by Twitter users. Headmaster of SMA Negeri 06 Surakarta, Agung Wijayanto, confirmed that Jokowi was one of the first batch of students in 1976, following its foundation on 26 November 1975 as a high school in prepared construction (SMPP), and his diploma was indeed authentic.[7]
In June 2020, Navias Tanjung posted on Facebook, a collage consisting of the images of UGM diplomas owned by Bambang Nurcahyo and Joko Widodo, noticing the differences of dean's signatures.[8] In September that year, another Facebook user posted the same collage, claiming that the Jokowi's diploma was fake, while attacking his policy on cleric registration.[9]
In October 2022, Bambang Tri Mulyono together with Sugi Nur Rahardja unsuccessfully challenged its authenticity at Central Jakarta District Court[id], causing them to be accused of "spreading fake news and hate speech" and sentenced to 6 years.[10] In December 2022, chairman of LESPASS Legal Aid Institute, Ahmad Khozinudin, requested to prosecutors to invite Jokowi and reveal his own diploma, and claiming it as "the only authentic method".[11]
The controversy resurfaced on 11 March 2025, when Rismon Hasiholan Sianipar, a former lecturer at the University of Mataram, uploaded a video on his YouTube channel. He judged that the diploma uses Times New Roman typeface, which did not exist on computers until 1990s.[2]
Response
Individual reactions
Former Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs, Mahfud MD, stated that Jokowi's policies would not be affected by controversies regarding his diploma, according to the legal certainty principle.[12] Meanwhile, Rocky Gerung viewed the controversy as a simple issue but made complicated, and reminded that if this issue is not going to be resolved, it would harm Jokowi's image and give burden to current president Prabowo Subianto.[13]
Chairman of DPP Gerakan Rakyat Indonesia Bersatu JayaRosario de Marshal, believes Jokowi's diploma is genuine because he has not seen any problems with his diploma from his time as Mayor. He said he was also disturbed by the resurfacing of the issue of Jokowi's fake diploma.[15]
On 15 April, hundreds of people who are members of the Ulama and Activist Defence Team (TPUA) came to the Faculty of Forestry, Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), Sleman, Yogyakarta to ask for clarification on the alleged fake diploma of the 7th President of Indonesia, Joko Widodo. They gathered in front of Room 109 of the Faculty of Forestry UGM around 07:45 a.m, including mothers. Not long after, four representatives of the protesters entered Room 109 of the Faculty of Forestry UGM to attend an audience with the rector regarding Jokowi's diploma.[16][17]
On 16 April, protesters from the Ulama and Activist Defence Team (TPUA) who wanted to see the authenticity of the diploma of Joko Widodo, came to his residence in Surakarta.[18] The atmosphere was heated around Jokowi's residence when the TPUA camp met with dozens of supporters of the 7th President of the Republic of Indonesia who had been waiting since morning and then subsided after security officers, both the police on guard and the Paspampres, allowed representatives to met with Jokowi. There were at least four representatives who met Jokowi inside his residence, one of whom was TPUA Deputy, Chair Rizal Fadillah.[19] He confirmed this when met by reporters after the meeting with Jokowi. He said the purpose of their visit to Jokowi's residence was not only to stay in touch in the atmosphere of Eid al-Fitr like other residents, but also to connect with Jokowi's diploma. The meeting lasted about 30 minutes. However, their hopes of being shown Jokowi's diploma directly had to be dashed. Because during the meeting Jokowi did not show his diploma to them.[20]
Prior to the meeting with Ulama and Activist Defence Team TPUA, Joko Widodo invited dozens of media crews including CNN Indonesia to enter his residence. However, Jokowi did not allow media crews to take pictures during the meeting and was asked to collect mobile phones and cameras. He showed his diplomas from elementary to high school, and also his undergraduate degree at UGM. The UGM diploma shown by Jokowi is very similar to the image circulating on social media. However, Jokowi was reluctant to confirm the similarity of the circulating diploma photo with his own.[21]
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