See Bug 974 and - https://registry.khronos.org/OpenGL/extensions/ARB/ARB_multi_draw_indirect.txt - https://www.khronos.org/opengl/wiki/GLAPI/glMultiDrawArraysIndirect - https://www.khronos.org/opengl/wiki/GLAPI/glMultiDrawElementsIndirect Extension requires GL4, subsumed in GL 4.3 glMultiDrawArraysIndirect() is dual mode, buffer address if VBO GL_DRAW_INDIRECT_BUFFER is unbound, otherwise byte offset. See Bug 974. glMultiDrawElementsIndirect() is only VBO GL_DRAW_INDIRECT_BUFFER indirect. It also required VBO buffer GL_ELEMENT_ARRAY_BUFFER to be bound (uncheck in JOGL).
resolved with commit af321b4a90a4da9351dfbdd6d9a8202a73fc8c05
Also see discussion regarding CPU (client memory) and GPU (VBO) sourced buffers in Bug 852.