Indonesian VP Resigns Over Education Certificate Annulled by Supreme Court

Gibran Rakabuming Raka resigned as Indonesia’s VP on Nov 12, 2026, after his high school equivalency certificate was revoked by court order.

JAKARTA, KalderaNews.com – National constitutional and political dynamics reached a crucial point on Thursday (11/12/2026). Gibran Rakabuming Raka officially submitted his resignation letter as Vice President of the Republic of Indonesia to President Prabowo Subianto and the leadership of the People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR).

This resignation took place immediately after the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education (Kemendikdasmen) revoked Gibran’s high school (SMA) education equivalency certificate (Surat Keterangan or Suket), following a final and binding (inkracht) ruling from the Supreme Court (MA).

Chronology of Gibran’s Resignation and Cancellation of the HMP Plenary Session

Gibran arrived at the DPR/MPR RI parliamentary complex in Jakarta on Thursday afternoon (11/12/2026) to personally hand over his resignation letter.

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MPR Speaker Ahmad Muzani stated that the assembly’s leadership immediately followed up on the letter through a leadership meeting and a joint faction meeting.

Gibran’s decision to step down directly impacted the parliamentary agenda:

• Cancellation of the DPR Plenary Session: The House of Representatives (DPR) Plenary Session, originally scheduled for Thursday (11/12/2026) at 2:00 PM WIB, was officially canceled. The session was slated to discuss a proposal for the Right to Express an Opinion (Hak Menyatakan Pendapat or HMP) regarding impeachment, which had previously been signed by at least 120 DPR members on Wednesday (11/11/2026).
• Impeachment Proposal Dropped: DPR Commission II member and one of the HMP proposers, Muhammad Khozin, confirmed that following Gibran’s official resignation, the HMP proposal was no longer relevant to pursue.
• MPR’s 60-Day Deadline: Referring to constitutional provisions cited by the MPR Leadership, the assembly has a maximum of 60 days from the date of resignation to appoint a definitive Vice President to replace Gibran.

Legal Basis for the Revocation of the Education Certificate by Kemendikdasmen

The resignation is closely tied to the issuance of the Decree of the Director General of Secondary Education and Special Education of Kemendikdasmen Number 206 of 2026, dated November 11, 2026.

Signed by Director General Tatang Muttaqin, the regulation officially revoked and withdrew Suket Number 9149/D.D1/KS/2019 dated August 6, 2019, declaring it no longer legally binding (erga omnes principle).

Based on copies of official documents and government statements, the revocation is grounded in two primary legal bases:

• Supreme Court Cassation Ruling: The move executes Supreme Court Decision Number 724 K/TUN/2026 dated October 30, 2026 (Cassation Case Number 742 K/TUN/2026), which ruled in favor of plaintiff Subhan Palal and obligated the defendant to revoke the certificate.
• Absence of Graduation Documents: The Supreme Court considered new legal facts (notoire feiten) from Constitutional Court Decision Number 01/PHPU.PRES-XXIV/2026 dated October 5, 2026. The Supreme Court assessed that the issuance of the certificate in 2019 was solely based on a certificate of attendance, academic records, and an explanation of grades without being supported by a valid graduation diploma, thereby violating the principle of formal accuracy in government administration.

Legal Explanation by Coordinating Minister Yusril Ihza Mahendra

The Coordinating Minister for Law, Human Rights, Immigration, and Correction (Menko Kumham Imipas), Yusril Ihza Mahendra, provided a comprehensive explanation regarding the government’s legal standing and the constitutional consequences of the certificate’s revocation:

• Obligation to Execute Court Rulings: Quoting the official website of Kemenko Kumham Imipas, Yusril emphasized that revoking the certificate is an absolute obligation of government officials in accordance with Article 53 paragraph (6) of Law Number 30 of 2014 on Government Administration.
• No Further Judicial Review (PK) Avenue: In State Administrative Court (TUN) cases, the right to file for a Judicial Review (Peninjauan Kembali or PK) post-Constitutional Court ruling belongs exclusively to the plaintiff. The government, as the defendant, has no legal right to file a PK, rendering the certificate annulment ruling final.
• Implications for Constitutional Office Requirements: Yusril explained that with the education equivalency annulled from the outset, the formal educational requirement to hold the office of Vice President was no longer met, leading to the legal consequence of stepping down or being dismissed within constitutional corridors.
• Clarification of the Coordinating Minister’s Role:Yusril also clarified that his involvement was strictly in his capacity as Menko Kumham Imipas tasked with coordinating the government’s legal affairs, rather than acting as the head of a legal defense team in the diploma controversy.

With the MPR’s acceptance of the resignation letter and Kemendikdasmen’s completion of the Supreme Court ruling’s execution, the vice-presidential succession process now shifts entirely to constitutional mechanisms in parliament.

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