Politics1 min read

Gibran: Indonesian golden child brought down in diploma scandal

By · Published by Everything Blog

In short

Opponents successfully petitioned the Constitutional Court by arguing that Gibran Rakabuming Raka lacked proper evidence of graduating from high school, which constitutes a mandatory legal requirement for holding the vice presidency. Gibran defended his qualifications by citing an overseas vocational equivalency certificate alongside a bachelor's degree earned in Singapore. Before joining Prabowo's ticket, he had transitioned from managing a catering and wedding planning business to serving as mayor of Solo. His removal now creates serious political friction between two former rivals who previously united their political factions.

Key points

  • Gibran's removal could destabilize the ruling coalition between President Prabowo Subiant…: Gibran's removal could destabilize the ruling coalition between President Prabowo Subianto and former president Joko Widodo.
  • The former vice president initially entered the 2024 race due to a controversial court ru…: The former vice president initially entered the 2024 race due to a controversial court ruling on age limits issued by his uncle-in-law.
  • The ouster ends a controversial political rise that took the former mayor from private bu…: The ouster ends a controversial political rise that took the former mayor from private business to the country's second-highest office.

Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1

JAKARTA: From culinary entrepreneur to Indonesian Vice-President, Gibran Rakabuming Raka has reinvented himself many times and is rarely far from controversy.

On Thursday (Nov 12), the 39-year-old's term in office ended after just two years as a scandal over his high school diploma proved to be the last nail in his political coffin.

Gibran is the eldest son of former president Joko Widodo, known as Jokowi - the predecessor to incumbent President Prabowo Subianto.

As a young man, Gibran built a catering and wedding planning business, then in 2021 followed in his father's footsteps to become a mayor - in the city of Solo, in Central Java province, where he was born on Oct 1, 1987.

He was widely accused of getting the post through nepotism, having no history of political involvement with any party.

"I've often been bullied and insulted, since way back. I've never reported any of it to the police," Gibran once told reporters.

The stoic, soft-spoken millennial found himself in the crosshairs once more when he was picked as Prabowo's running mate for the presidency in…

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