Yogyakarta. President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo poked fun at long-running rumors questioning the authenticity of his university diploma during a warm and laughter-filled 45th reunion of the 1980 class of Gadjah Mada University’s Faculty of Forestry on Saturday.

Speaking to his former classmates in Yogyakarta, Jokowi playfully addressed the recent resurgence of fake diploma accusations that have repeatedly circulated on social media.

“I see everyone’s happy. But don’t celebrate too soon, my diploma is still being questioned,” Jokowi said with a grin. “If the court says it’s authentic, feel free to be happy. But if it turns out fake, then all 88 of us are fake too,” he joked, sparking laughter from the crowd.

The president, who graduated from UGM in the mid-1980s, admitted he often found the controversy illogical. “Sometimes I shake my head. We all struggled to graduate. So if I passed, then everyone else did too,” he said with a chuckle.

Jokowi also reminisced about his student years, sharing a humorous story about a close friend, affectionately known as “Pak Jambrung,” who repeatedly failed a math course. “He had to retake it four times, right?” Jokowi asked. Jambrung quickly corrected him: “Eight times!” drawing roars of laughter from the audience.

The reunion served as both a nostalgic gathering and reaffirmation of Jokowi’s academic background, as he continues to face unfounded allegations about his credentials.

Earlier in May, the National Police concluded an official investigation into the allegations, declaring Jokowi’s undergraduate diploma from UGM authentic. Police examined the physical diploma using forensic lab tests, comparing it with diplomas from three of his classmates. The analysis included security features, ink and paper composition, printing methods, and original signatures of the university’s dean and rector at the time. All elements were verified as legitimate.

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