JAKARTA – Six months after stepping down from the nation’s top post, former president Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has been the target of a barrage of lawsuits, which analysts say underscores the accumulated disapproval over his presidency.

The hearings on two civil lawsuits, the first alleges that Jokowi used fake diplomas to qualify for public office the second alleges that he defaulted on his promise regarding the production target for the locally made car brand Esemka began last week at the Surakarta District Court in Central Java, Jokowi’s hometown, without his presence.

Jokowi at the time of the first hearings was departing for the Vatican to attend the funeral of Pope Francis on behalf of President Prabowo Subianto. The former president was represented by his lawyers in the two lawsuits that were filed separately earlier this month.

The first case is brought by legal practitioner Muhammad Taufiq, who contests the legitimacy of his high school and university diplomas and, by extension, the legitimacy of his administration as then-mayor of Surakarta, Central Java, from 2005 to 2012.

The lawsuit regarding Esemka was filed by 19-year-old Surakarta resident Aufaa Luqmana, who alleged that Jokowi misled the public about the Esemka, a car project which he once championed and said would be mass-produced and widely available for purchase.

After ten years in power, during which he remained untouchable, political analysts say that now, without the shield of presidential power, Jokowi has found himself confronting more open hostility from multiple fronts.

Read also: Jokowi hits back at allegations of fake diplomas

“These lawsuits may come from individuals or groups that once expected to benefit politically or economically from Jokowi’s administration but were sidelined,” analyst Aditya Perdana of think tank Algoritma said on Saturday.

“Now that he’s no longer president, they see a moment to pursue legal action,” Aditya added.

Analyst Dedi Kurnia Syah of the think tank Indonesia Political Opinion said the surge of legal action against Jokowi stems not only from his diminished authority after leaving office but also from accumulated disappointment over his ten-year rule.

“Throughout his decade in office, Jokowi faced a number of legal complaints, but few materialized into serious threats due to his political standing, leading to dissatisfaction to build up over time,” Dedi said.

Dedi, however, noted that not all lawsuits are entirely aimed at seeking accountability, noting that allegations concerning fake diplomas and the Esemka car project may be aimed at diverting attention from more serious allegations involving Jokowi and his family.

“Some of these lawsuits could be mere legal gimmicks,” Dedi said. “Their purpose might be to distract us from more damaging issues like allegations of collusion and corruption involving Jokowi and his family.”

Read also: Jokowi’s influence casts shadow on Prabowo administration

One of Jokowi’s lawyers for the case, YB Irpan, declined to comment on the matter and directed The Jakarta Post to ask the plaintiffs instead.

Sigit Sudibyanto, the lawyer representing plaintiff Aufaa in the Esemka case, dismissed the speculations, telling the Post on Tuesday that “everyone is free to make their assumptions.”

Taufiq, who filed the lawsuit over Jokowi’s alleged fake diploma, said it was “absolutely not true” that his lawsuit was a gimmick.

“I’m not anyone’s lap dog, and this isn’t about seeking mediation or money,” Taufiq said, noting that the lawsuit against Jokowi alone was “highly risky” due to the former president’s influence even after stepping down from office.

In January, a group of activists and academics filed a new complaint with the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) alleging Jokowi and his family of corruption, collusion, nepotism and money laundering, following his nomination by the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) as the 2024 Most Corrupt Person of the Year.

Boosting popularity?

Asked about the impact of these lawsuits on Jokowi’s public image, Aditya was skeptical they would do lasting damage, suggesting that they may actually help Jokowi maintain his popularity by ensuring he remains central in public discourse.

Regardless of the legal outcomes, Aditya said, “negative headlines [during the legal proceedings] still keep his name in the public eye.”

He also linked the storm of legal challenges targeting the former president to a possible undercurrent of tension between Jokowi and his successor Prabowo, amid speculations about Jokowi’s lingering influence among some cabinet members.

Aditya suggested that the ongoing controversies could be beneficial for Jokowi instead, adding that “aside from keeping his name in the news, lawsuits could usually be spun as attacks, allowing Jokowi to rally support.”

Dedi, however, said Jokowi’s reputation could still suffer should any of these lawsuits succeed.

Asia News Network/The Jakarta Post