Netizens questioned the legitimacy of Indonesian celebrity Raffi Ahmad receiving an honorary doctorate, as he has never contributed to academic research. Some netizens began investigating the UIPM campus in Thailand, where the honorary doctorate was reportedly issued. Niar Ibrahim Rose, an Indonesian living in Bangkok, found that the campus location was actually a hotel, not an academic campus, raising further suspicions about the validity of the degree. The Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology also stated that degrees issued by UIPM Indonesia are invalid, as the university lacks the necessary operational permit in Indonesia.
The issue of fake degrees in Indonesia has been a pressing concern, with over 17 higher education institutions shut down between January and March 2023 for selling fake degrees. This was done to ensure the quality of Indonesian education and the competency of graduates entering the workforce. In a recent case, a civil servant from North Sumatra used a bogus degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Sumatra Utara to secure a job in the public works sector, only for it to be discovered seven years later that the degree was fake. Additionally, in 2020, a comedian turned university rector at the University of Muhadi Setiabudi, Nurul Qomar, was sentenced to prison for using fake master diplomas to qualify for his position.
The controversy surrounding Raffi Ahmad’s honorary doctorate has raised awareness about the prevalence of fake degrees in Indonesia and the need for stricter regulations to prevent such practices from undermining the credibility of the education system. The Ministry of Education’s actions to shut down institutions selling fake degrees demonstrate a commitment to upholding educational standards and ensuring that graduates are properly qualified for their chosen professions. The case of the civil servant from North Sumatra highlights the potential consequences of using fake degrees, as it can lead to legal issues and damage to one’s professional reputation.
The discovery that the UIPM campus in Thailand is actually a hotel further calls into question the authenticity of the honorary doctorate awarded to Raffi Ahmad. The Ministry’s statement that degrees from UIPM Indonesia are invalid due to lack of operational permits adds fuel to the fire, reinforcing suspicions about the legitimacy of the degree. The incident involving Nurul Qomar, who used fake master diplomas to become a university rector, underscores the risks and consequences of using fake credentials to obtain positions of authority and influence. Overall, the fake degree issue in Indonesia serves as a cautionary tale about the importance of upholding educational integrity and ensuring that qualifications are obtained legitimately.
