The lawsuit filed by a lawyer from Makassar, Komardin, against several officials of Gadjah Mada University (UGM) regarding the alleged fake diploma of former President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) at the Sleman District Court has been deemed invalid.
In the lawsuit that has been in trial since May 2025, Komardin sued several parties including the Rector, all Vice Rectors of UGM, the Dean of the Faculty of Forestry UGM, the Head of the Library, and the academic supervising lecturer of Jokowi during his studies at UGM with allegations of unlawful acts related to the polemic of the fake diploma.
The invalidation of the lawsuit registered with the number 106/Pdt.G/2025/PN Smn was declared during a virtual court session (e-court) on Tuesday, August 5. The decision was an interim decision on the exception filed by UGM as the defendant.
"For this case (lawsuit against UGM), it has been decided, the panel of judges accepted the absolute competence exception from the defendant (UGM)," said Deputy Chief Justice of Sleman District Court Agung Nugroho, on Tuesday.
In this case, the panel of judges has not yet proceeded to the core of the lawsuit due to this absolute competence exception, which according to Agung, is a process that must be addressed before the continuation of the proceedings.
Based on the exception from UGM, the panel of judges deliberated and ultimately granted it. The panel of judges of Sleman District Court then deemed themselves not authorized to adjudicate the case any further, thus declaring the lawsuit invalid.
Agung stated that this interim decision is the final verdict for this case. The panel of judges, according to Agung, has considered that the lawsuit filed against several parties in UGM pertains to a public information dispute.
Therefore, according to Agung, the lawsuit would be more appropriate if directed to the Public Information Commission (KIP) or if not, to the State Administrative Court (PTUN).
Separately, the plaintiff against UGM, Komardin, stated that they will appeal to the high court following the invalidation of the lawsuit at the Sleman District Court.
They mentioned that the appeal is made because they believe the Sleman District Court has misinterpreted the main subject of their lawsuit.
According to Komardin, the polemic surrounding Jokowi's fake diploma started from the alleged unlawful acts of UGM as the issuing party of the diploma. Thus, according to them, the Sleman District Court should proceed with the lawsuit until completion.
"We will prepare the documents for this appeal process," they said.
Referring to the existing regulations, the appeal process itself can be filed within a maximum of 14 days from the issuance of the decision by the Sleman District Court.