IndonesianTalk.com — Freddy Widjaja appeals to President, seeks reopening of alleged false birth certificate case
Freddy Widjaja, a son of late Indonesian tycoon Eka Tjipta Widjaja, has appealed directly to the President for legal protection and certainty over a criminal complaint involving an alleged false statement in an authentic deed, a case in which Franky Oesman Widjaja was reported to the Jakarta Police.
In a letter dated Oct. 13, 2025, Freddy raised concerns over the handling of his police report, whose preliminary investigation had previously been terminated after investigators concluded that no criminal offense had been established.
Freddy asked the President to give particular attention to the case and expressed hope that the President would request the National Police chief to review and reopen the matter.
He called for the case to be handled objectively, professionally and transparently, without interference or pressure from any party.
The allegations remain Freddy’s claims as the complainant and have not been established as legal facts by a court.
Invoking the name of Eka Tjipta Widjaja
In his letter, Freddy identified himself as a biological son of the late Eka Tjipta Widjaja and Lidia Herawati, which he said was stated in Deed of Testament No. 236 dated Nov. 20, 1991.
Freddy said his decision to seek the President’s intervention was partly prompted by the President’s public emphasis on equal justice for all citizens, regardless of wealth, social standing or political influence.
He said he hoped the same principle would apply to his case.
Eka Tjipta, who died in 2019, was the founder of the Sinar Mas business group and one of Indonesia’s most prominent businessmen.
Case originated with Jakarta Police report
The dispute dates back to May 24, 2024, when Freddy filed police report No. STTLP/B/2907/V/2024/SPKT/POLDA METRO JAYA with the Jakarta Police.
The report named Franky Oesman Widjaja in connection with an alleged violation of Article 266 of the Criminal Code concerning the inclusion of false information in an authentic deed.
According to Freddy, the central issue concerns a copy or extract of a birth certificate belonging to the reported party.
Freddy alleged that there were discrepancies between the birth registration records and the certificate subsequently issued.
The allegation, however, remains subject to legal verification and should not be construed as proof that the reported party committed any wrongdoing.
Questions over examination of document
One of Freddy’s main objections concerns the way investigators examined the document at the center of the dispute.
In his letter to the President, Freddy alleged that investigators had not physically examined or conducted an authenticity test on the disputed document before concluding that there was insufficient indication of a criminal offense.
He cited this as one of the reasons the case should be reviewed.
According to Freddy, a proper examination of the document is necessary to determine whether the administrative information contained in it corresponds with the relevant civil registration records.
Police terminated preliminary investigation
Freddy said he received a notification on the progress of the preliminary investigation from the Jakarta Police on May 31, 2024.
The investigation was later terminated following a case review, with the police concluding that no criminal event had been found, according to a letter dated Oct. 14, 2024.
Freddy challenged the decision.
Through his legal counsel, he filed a public complaint in June 2025, seeking a fresh examination of the case and asking police to consider moving it to the formal investigation stage.
The complaint led to a special case review on July 30, 2025.
Freddy, however, said the outcome did not adequately address the objections he had raised.
He also said he received another progress letter from the Jakarta Police in August 2025, but argued that it did not provide a detailed explanation of the findings of the special case review.
Freddy claims to have submitted additional evidence
Freddy also claimed to have presented additional evidence during the special case review.
According to him, some of the material concerned alleged administrative discrepancies related to the birth certificate at the center of his police report.
Freddy said he had also sought clarification from the Makassar Population and Civil Registration Agency (Dukcapil) regarding the validity of the document.
He claimed that he received differing information concerning the existence of the registration record for the disputed birth certificate.
The alleged change in information raised further questions, Freddy said, prompting him to seek a more comprehensive examination of the document and its registration history.
His assertions regarding the document have yet to be tested and established through a legally binding judicial process.
Appeal for presidential attention
After pursuing several legal and administrative avenues, Freddy took the matter to the President.
In his letter, he sought legal protection and asked the President to pay attention to the handling of his complaint.
He specifically expressed hope that the President would ask the National Police chief to reconsider the decision to terminate the preliminary investigation and reopen the case.
Freddy said any renewed examination should be conducted objectively, transparently and professionally, free from pressure or interference.
For Freddy, the issue goes beyond what could otherwise be seen as a private dispute involving members of a prominent business family.
He argued that a transparent handling of the case was important for maintaining public confidence in law enforcement institutions and demonstrating that the principle of equality before the law applies to everyone.
Awaiting responses from police, Palace
With the letter sent and Freddy claiming that additional evidence has been submitted, attention now turns to whether the President or the National Police will respond to his request.
It also remains unclear whether the Jakarta Police will reconsider the previous decision to terminate the preliminary investigation.
As of the publication of this report, the materials made available to the newsroom did not include official responses from the Jakarta Police, Franky Oesman Widjaja or the Presidential Palace regarding Freddy’s letter and allegations.
All parties named in this report are entitled to provide clarification or exercise their right of reply.
Under the presumption of innocence, Freddy’s police report, statements and allegations should not be interpreted as evidence of wrongdoing by the reported party.
Any allegation concerning the authenticity of the birth certificate or possible criminal conduct must ultimately be established through due legal process and supported by admissible evidence
