Indonesian Lawmakers Seek Inquiry on Vice President Gibran Over High School Diploma Dispute

JAKARTA, Investortrust.id — Pressure is mounting on Indonesian Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka after nearly 50 lawmakers across multiple parliamentary party factions signed a formal petition demanding the House of Representatives (DPR) invoke its Right to Express an Opinion (Hak Menyatakan Pendapat / HMP) over the legitimacy of his high school diploma credentials.

The petition, submitted to House leadership on Tuesday, marks a significant constitutional escalation following recent court rulings on the equivalence certificate of the vice president's foreign secondary education.

"Nearly 50 House members have signed the HMP proposal," House Commission II member Mardani Ali Sera of the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) confirmed in Jakarta on Tuesday. Mardani noted that the document has been officially delivered to House leaders, adding that the signatories represent "many factions" across the legislative chamber, though he withheld specific names pending formal scheduling.

Parliamentary Leadership Cautions Against Speculation

Speaking after a plenary session at the parliamentary complex in Senayan, Jakarta, House Speaker Puan Maharani confirmed that parliamentary leaders had received reports regarding the proposed inquiry. However, Puan made clear that the chamber will not rush proceedings until lawmakers reconvene and deliberate following the recent recess period.

"We have indeed received the report. However, we will follow up on this after the opening of this sitting session—examining how, who, and what the mechanism is," Puan said. "Of course, everything must strictly follow the existing mechanisms and constitution, so we remain obedient to the prevailing constitution."

Puan urged the public and political observers to remain calm and avoid jumping to conclusions regarding whether Gibran might step down or face an extraordinary legislative session. "Let us not deal in hypotheticals; it is better that we respond to this calmly and not turn things that have not occurred into a source of public anxiety," she stated.

The Constitutional Mechanics of Impeachment

Under Indonesian constitutional law, the Right to Express an Opinion (HMP) represents parliament’s most potent supervisory tool and functions as the primary constitutional entry point for the impeachment of a sitting president or vice president.

An HMP proposal requires the backing of at least 25 legislators before it can be brought to a plenary session. To be formally ratified, the motion must meet a quorum of at least two-thirds of all sitting House members and secure the approval of two-thirds of those present.

If approved, the House establishes a cross-faction special committee to investigate whether the head of state or deputy committed legal violations—such as treason, corruption, bribery, grave criminal offenses, or disgraceful conduct—or ceases to satisfy the constitutional eligibility prerequisites for office.

Should the plenary subsequently endorse the committee’s findings, the determination is submitted directly to the Constitutional Court (MK). If the Constitutional Court rules that the accusations are legally proven, the House then convenes a plenary session to forward a formal motion of dismissal to the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) for a final determination.

Succession Rumors and Wiretapping Controversy

The legislative push against Gibran unfolds against a backdrop of escalating political volatility in Jakarta. House Deputy Speaker Sufmi Dasco Ahmad firmly rejected circulating social media rumors alleging he was being prepared to replace Gibran as vice president.

"I ensure you that is a hoax," Dasco said via his verified social media accounts, dismissing the succession narrative as an attempt to divert public attention from a high-stakes illegal wiretapping investigation that has gripped the capital. "There is an effort to shift attention away from the hot issue of illegal wiretapping to claims that Dasco will become vice president."

The National Police’s Criminal Investigation Agency (Bareskrim) recently named former National Police Chief General Listyo Sigit Prabowo alongside Inspector General Ahrie Sonta and Inspector General Eko Hadi as suspects for allegedly running unlawful wiretapping operations against President Prabowo Subianto, cabinet officials, politicians, civil society groups, and business executives between 2025 and 2026.