Nurul Qomar controversy: Comedian who used fake degree as university rector

JAKARTA - The level of education has an important role in community life. Education can be a tool for legitimizing one's knowledge. This condition makes many people pursue the highest level of education. Take the example of comedian, Nurul Qomar.

He claimed that he had settled the education from S2 and S3 at the State University of Jakarta (UNJ). Qomar got a profit. The education level made him able to become the rector of Muhadi Setiabudi University (UMUS), Brebes. However, Qomar's claim is questionable and his diploma is considered fake.

There is no doubt about the influence of education on one's career. Nurul Qomar, moreover. The comedian who recently became a politician considers education to be important. Qomar is recorded to have completed his S1 education at a college owned by the Yayasan Pembina Pendidikan Administrasi Niaga dan Negara (Yappan).

He has also summarized the S2 education in the Master of Management at the Christian University (Unkris) Dwipayana Jakarta. Qomar plans to continue his S3 education at UNJ and take a basic education program.

The plan did not go smoothly. Qomar had to take a master's degree again so that he could take a major that was linear with the S3. This condition made Qomar register himself at the same time to take the S2 and S3 programs at UNJ. Qomar's S2 education took Basic Education Management and S3 Basic Education Department.

Qomar also claimed that he had managed to complete both of them. As a result, the title of mentereng was used by Qomar as a condition to run for President of UMUS Brebes in 2017. However, Qomar actually used the Certificate of Completion (SKL) to legitimize that he was a graduate of S2 and S3 UNJ.

Ajian made Qomar happy. He was appointed as the Rector of UMUS Brebes in February 2017. Later, the UMUS Brebes party smelled a wrong behavior from Qomar. They felt that Qomar's SKL was fake. That is, the S2 and S3 diplomas from UNJ were considered fake and questionable.

The UMUS party also tried to prosecute Qomar with the case of forgery of a diploma to the authorities. This condition made UMUS immediately ask for confirmation from UNJ regarding the truth of Qomar completing the S2 and S3 courses.

As a result, UNJ stated that the comedian who was once part of the Empat Sekawan comedy group was indeed listed as a second and third-year student. The problem is that Qomar has not graduated. The SKL has never been issued by UNJ.

"The contents of the clarification letter sent by UNJ stated that Qomar had indeed studied at the university. However, it turned out that he had not graduated from S2 or S3," said UMUS lawyer Tobidin as quoted by lamandetik.com, June 26, 2019.

Qomar could not be convinced by the official statement delivered by UNJ. However, Qomar is looking for an excuse. He is still in the process of studying and up to the stage of making a dissertation and is ready for a trial. Alias the graduation process is almost over.

The process stopped because he received an offer to become rector of UMUS Brebes. The reason was actually not much to save Qomar. The series of hearings continued. As a result, the trial verdict on the alleged forgery of the SKL document of the S2 and S3 Qomar program was issued on November 11, 2019.

The Brebes District Court panel of judges stated that Qomar had been proven to be legally and convincingly guilty. He was considered to have used a fake letter. Qomar was also sentenced to imprisonment for a period of one year and five months.

Qomar himself was not satisfied with the verdict. He continued to make further legal efforts. The appeal effort also ended in failure. Qomar was sentenced to two years in prison. Up by seven months. Qomar did not stop he continued to make legal efforts until his appeal was rejected.

The problem of Qomar's fake diploma went viral everywhere. Qomar was condemned by all Indonesian people for being dishonest about education. However, Qomar still does not want to give up. He considers prison to be a space for learning more deeply about religion and life.

"There are plans for PK. That's the procedure, opportunities, later the lawyers will PK the last steps to ask for forgiveness. Including asking for a pardon from President Jokowi. Today I feel like I'm in a boarding school. The activities of the pilgrims are only in the room, majelis taklim, mushala, ngaji, reading and not allowed to go out. Just think I'm on a pilgrimage to deepen what is not yet in," said Qomar at the Brebes Class IIB Prison as quoted by the Kompas.com page, August 19, 2020.

Nurul Qomar was a member of the DPR for two periods representing the Democratic Party, 2004-2009 and 2009-2014. This senior comedian died of illness on January 8, 2025, at the age of 64.