Gibran: On the Seat on Heroes' Day

AS HEROES' DAY approaches, Gibran Rakabuming Raka spoke at the Vice President's Palace in Jakarta.

He announced plans to coordinate with the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education (Kemendikdasmen) to seek a judicial review of the Supreme Court's ruling.

This judicial review pertains to a Supreme Court decision that upheld the cassation from petitioner Subhan regarding the education equivalency certificate (Suket) used by Gibran to register as a candidate for vice president in the 2024 elections.

Coordinating Minister for Law Yusril Ihza Mahendra stated that no party can file for a judicial review in this case.

Earlier, cameras captured Gibran walking alongside President Prabowo Subianto heading to a ceremony for the National Hero award.

In the morning, according to State Secretary Prasetyo Hadi, Gibran expressed his intention to step down during a meeting that lasted approximately two and a half hours. (Bisnis Indonesia, November 10, 2026, 16:33 WIB).

Between the morning discussions and the afternoon ceremony, an invisible gap exists that cameras did not capture. The intention to resign could have been conveyed behind closed doors. Outside those doors are millions of people who entrusted their mandate through the elections.

Prabowo and Gibran received 96,214,691 votes, or 58.59 percent of the valid votes in the 2024 presidential election. The state owes an explanation to the public regarding how the candidacy requirements were evaluated (KPU Decision No. 504 of 2024, April 24, 2024).

The Election Law mandates a minimum education level equivalent to high school or its equivalent. In its consideration of Decision No. 01/PHPU.PRES-XXIV/2026, the Constitutional Court stated it did not find convincing evidence in the form of overseas graduation documents that could support Gibran's educational equivalence.

In its ruling, the Constitutional Court declared the application inadmissible as the petitioners lacked legal standing.

In a separate matter, the Supreme Court ruled that the equivalency certificate was invalid and ordered its revocation. The decision was made on October 30, 2026, with copies released on Heroes' Day (Constitutional Court, October 6, 2026) (Supreme Court Decision No. 742 K/TUN/2026, cited by detikNews, November 10, 2026).

Gibran has the right to be heard. The public also has the right to know how the documents of his candidacy were examined, who validated them, and the basis for that validation. The decision regarding the equivalency letter does not automatically end his position.

Articles 7A and 7B of the 1945 Constitution govern dismissal via the DPR, MK, and MPR. If the vice-presidential seat becomes vacant, Article 8, paragraph (2) requires the MPR to convene no later than 60 days to elect one of two candidates proposed by the President. The clock starts ticking when the seat is genuinely empty (1945 Constitution, Third Amendment, November 9, 2001).

In the DPR, Chairperson Puan Maharani stated that the leadership has received reports regarding the collection of signatures to propose a right to express an opinion. She indicated that this report would be followed up after the opening of the parliamentary session (Parliamentary DPR RI, November 10, 2026).

Mohammad Hatta left the position on December 1, 1956, amid differing views with Sukarno.