JAKARTA: Amid an outcry on social media over an Indonesian leader’s credentials from a top-ranking local college, the organization has sought to understand that he has “fulfilled all administrative and academic requirements” needed to student from the postgraduate program.
According to a press release released on Monday ( October 21 ), Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Bahlil Lahadalia also fulfilled the “publication requirements” required to complete its research program.
According to the university,” Mr. Bahlil has followed and completed all the steps required for all students in the study road at the School of Strategic and Global Studies,” the chancellor added, adding that the secretary had joined the program in 2022.  ,
Local media reported that because of the short amount of time he took to student, Mr. Bahlil’s graduating from the graduate program on October 16 sparked discussion.  ,
Instead of the common three years, he had completed his studies at the school’s School of Strategic and Global Studies in one year and eight weeks.  ,
Harkristuti Harkrisnowo, a UI legislation professor and table chair, announced over the weekend that the school’s panel of faculty had set up a group to “investigate the alleged abnormalities of the case.”
A group of UI graduates started a complaint on transform on October 17th. The largest complaint platform in the world, complaint .org, is calling for the formation of an impartial group to build a full investigation into Mr. Bahlil’s degree’s reported commercialization.  ,
In the event that investigations discover that Mr. Bahlil’s education was actually awarded in violation of prevailing rules, the petition requested that the university, which was ranked first in the nation in accordance with the QS World University Rankings 2024, withdraw it.  ,
As of Oct 22, the petition has over 9, 700 names.
However, Mr Bahlil’s graduate education had likewise sparked outrage on social media.
“UI is very regarded for producing the world’s extraordinary individuals. Do n’t compromise that just for political interests, said X user @kiky_nih on Oct 18.  ,
” ( Mr) Bahlil made history by attaining a degree in UI in less than two times,” said another X person @cakkhum, with the post garnering over 6, 500 relationships.
On Monday, UI issued a warning to the people to stop spreading false information while pointing out that Mr. Bahlil is not the first student to graduate in less than two years.
” Regarding the study period, ( Mr) Bahlil, who started studying in 2022, has completed four semesters. Additionally, it should be noted that, prior to Mr. Bahlil, UI gave Dr. Sugeng Purwanto a graduate degree in 13 months and 26 days,” the school said.”
The UI emphasizes the value of using caution and cross-checking details so that the consumer is given the correct information.
On October 17, UI’s mind of public relations, Amelita Lusia, reported that Mr. Bahlil had adhered to the school’s bylaw, which stipulated that although the graduate program is intended to be completed in six semesters, it is still possible to finish it in four years.  ,
According to her,” Mr. Bahlil Lahadalia strengthens his status as a leader who is not only focused on policy development but also has a strong understanding of green tool management,” she said, as quoted by local internet Kompas.
Mr. Bahlil’s research highlighted Indonesia’s expanding nickel downstreaming industry while highlighting the importance of employing foreign workers to advance the country, given the fact that it has been discovered that employing native workers can occasionally slow down operations.  ,
Mr Bahlil was on Oct 20 revealed to be a part of President Prabowo Subianto’s” Red and White” government.  ,
He had held the exact position- as Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources- since August 2024 under Mr Prabowo’s president, Mr Joko Widodo. Due to that, he was the government’s Investment Minister since April 2021.  ,
Problem OF Doubtful Levels IN INDONESIA ,
The controversy surrounding Mr. Bahlil’s level was reportedly fueled by allegations that scientists and politicians have been publishing papers in shoddy journals to clinch professorships, according to local media The Jakarta Post.
In July, 11 faculty members at Lambung Mangkurat University in Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan, were mired in a disagreement after an unnamed journalist reported them for publishing journals in so-called aggressive magazines.  ,
In these publications, self-interest and scholarship are typically prioritized over peer review and an acceptance rate of almost 100 %, which is why they typically operate on a pay-to-publish basis.
According to BBC Indonesia, these practices allegedly helped them fulfill one of the requirements to apply for a professorial degree, which is to have published at least one article in an academic journal.  ,  ,
Politicians allegedly defrauded of their professorships by publishing papers in such predatory journals, including Gerindra Party executive Sufmi Dasco Ahmad and Golkar’s Bambang Soesatyo, according to a magazine report from another local media Tempo. According to The Jakarta Post, both parties have refuted the claims.