How the Constitutional Court Settled the Debate Over Gibran’s Eligibility

Syahganda Nainggolan, the head of the Government Communication Agency (Bakom), has finally spoken up about the viral video showing him criticizing Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka. He wants to make it clear that those comments were made long before he joined the government .

Setting the record straight

The video in question was recorded during a podcast on 14 September 2026. At the time, Syahganda was just a private citizen. He was only appointed as the head of Bakom later, on 2 October 2026 .

He expressed his frustration with some media outlets for framing his old comments as if they were his current opinions, calling it a breach of journalistic ethics.

A new role, a new focus

During a handover ceremony on 6 October 2026, Syahganda explained that his new job comes with new responsibilities. As a public official, he is now required to support the President's vision rather than pushing his own personal agenda . He added that the President and Vice President are on the same page, and his agency is fully committed to carrying out their shared goals.

Why was there controversy?

The podcast comments focused on Syahganda questioning Gibran's authority and educational background. These issues have been a hot topic since 2024, when legal challenges were filed to question Gibran's eligibility for the vice-presidency .

Back in 2024, the Constitutional Court dismissed a petition to disqualify Gibran. While the court noted there was a lack of evidence regarding his high school-equivalent diploma, they ultimately ruled that the petitioners did not have the legal standing to challenge the result .