JAKARTA, thekabarnews.com—The Democratic Party has declined to mount a separate political defense of Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka. This occurs as the Constitutional Court (MK) examines a petition challenging whether his education documents met the requirements for the 2024 presidential election.

Democratic Party Expert Council Chairman Andi Mallarangeng said the party would wait for the judicial process to conclude. He argued that the party neither selected Gibran as Prabowo Subianto’s running mate nor verified the documents submitted for his candidacy.

“When we joined the coalition, Mr. Prabowo had not yet decided who would become his vice-presidential candidate. We allowed Mr. Prabowo to choose his own running mate. Whoever he chose, we would support,” Andi said, as quoted by Warta Ekonomi.

Andi described Gibran’s nomination as Prabowo’s decision. He compared it with former president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono’s selection of Jusuf Kalla in 2004 and Boediono in 2009. He said presidential candidates traditionally assume the leading role in choosing their running mates.

However, Andi rejected the suggestion that Prabowo should have personally examined Gibran’s education records.

“Don’t put it on Mr. Prabowo. The KPU has the authority,” he said, referring to the General Elections Commission (KPU).

Andi also questioned whether the commission had sufficiently examined the documents used to support Gibran’s candidacy. Furthermore, citing testimony presented during the proceedings, he said the KPU relied on an education-equivalency certificate instead of checking directly with the relevant institution.

“The KPU was asked during the Constitutional Court hearing, ‘Did you verify the diploma?’ It said no. ‘We only relied on the equivalency letter.’ The KPU should have actively questioned the document,” Andi said.

The commission disputes any suggestion that Gibran failed the administrative screening. Its legal team told the court that the commission had received and verified the Prabowo-Gibran candidacy documents on Oct. 28, 2023.

“The documents submitted by Gibran Rakabuming Raka as a vice-presidential candidate were verified by the respondent and declared to have met the requirements,” KPU lawyer Saleh told the court.

The KPU maintains that an official equivalency certificate carries the same legal value as an Indonesian senior high school qualification. Election Law No. 7/2017 requires presidential and vice-presidential candidates to have completed at least senior high school or an equivalent level.

Former KPU chairman Hasyim Asy’ari also denied that the KPU had designed the relevant election regulation to favor Gibran.

“There was no intention, view or motive to help any individual qualify or make the process easier for anyone in this situation,” Hasyim testified on Oct. 1.

The dispute is registered as Case No. 01/PHPU.PRES-XXIV/2026. The petitioners allege administrative defects in Gibran’s education requirements and have asked the court to invalidate his candidacy and inauguration. Those claims remain allegations, and the court has not issued a final ruling.

The KPU has also raised preliminary objections. It argues that the dispute concerns the election process, which falls under the Election Supervisory Agency’s jurisdiction.

It also says the petition was filed long after the statutory deadline for challenging the 2024 presidential election result. The MK must therefore consider jurisdiction and admissibility alongside the petition’s substantive claims.

The fact that the Democratic Party is waiting for the verdict doesn’t validate either side’s arguments. The party’s position is that the court should settle the legal dispute and not the coalition members.