Indonesia’s Vice-President Reportedly Submits Resignation Letter Amid Education Qualification Controversy
Indonesia’s Vice-President, Gibran Rakabuming Raka, has reportedly submitted his resignation letter to President Prabowo Subianto amid controversy over his educational qualifications.
An aide, Budi Arie, confirmed that Gibran submitted the letter on Wednesday, although it remains unclear whether President Prabowo has accepted it.
The development follows a Supreme Court ruling which found no evidence that Gibran had completed senior secondary education or obtained an equivalent qualification, as required by Indonesian law for vice-presidential candidates.
Gibran, who studied in Singapore and Australia, had relied on an Indonesian equivalence certificate to establish his educational qualifications. However, the court reportedly ruled that there was insufficient evidence of a foreign diploma or certificate to establish the required equivalent qualification.
The ruling triggered fresh calls for accountability, with more than 100 lawmakers reportedly backing a parliamentary initiative that could lead to impeachment proceedings against the Vice-President.
Gibran had maintained that his university education was sufficient proof that he completed senior secondary school. On Tuesday, he requested an opportunity to challenge the ruling and establish the validity of his academic qualifications.
The controversy also comes amid growing political tensions between President Prabowo and Gibran’s father, former Indonesian President Joko Widodo, popularly known as Jokowi.
Prabowo and Jokowi formed a political alliance ahead of the 2024 presidential election, which resulted in Prabowo becoming president and Gibran, then 36, becoming Vice-President. His candidacy followed a controversial court ruling that exempted him from the constitutional minimum age requirement of 40.
Meanwhile, the reported resignation comes as the Prabowo administration faces criticism over funding challenges affecting its free school meals programme, environmental concerns, corruption allegations and public demonstrations.
Indonesia’s Vice-President Reportedly Submits Resignation Letter Amid Education Qualification Controversy