JAKARTA: Indonesian authorities have named former education minister and Gojek co-founder Nadiem Makarim as a corruption suspect involving alleged improper laptop procurement.
Attorney General’s Office investigator Nurcahyo Jungkung Madyo confirmed Makarim would be detained for twenty days while investigations proceed into the Chromebook procurement case.
Makarim served as education minister between 2019 and 2024 and faces accusations of involvement in improper Google Chromebook laptop acquisitions for ministry and student use.
“I did not do anything. God will protect me, the truth will come out,“ local media quoted Makarim as saying before his transfer to a detention facility.
His legal representative did not respond to Reuters’ request for comment on the allegations.
Nurcahyo stated Makarim allegedly misused his ministerial authority for personal or corporate enrichment, violating Indonesia’s anti-corruption legislation.
Investigators estimate the case caused state financial losses amounting to 1.98 trillion rupiah, equivalent to approximately 121.85 million US dollars.
Prosecutors discovered Makarim issued a 2021 decree containing procurement specifications that exclusively matched Chromebook laptop requirements.
Nurcahyo revealed Makarim held six meetings with Google Indonesia representatives prior to the Chromebook selection process.
Google Indonesia declined to comment on Makarim’s case but clarified that government agencies transact with resellers and partners rather than directly with Google.
The Attorney General’s Office conducted a raid at Indonesian tech company GoTo Gojek Tokopedia’s offices in July seeking evidence related to the investigation.
GoTo’s director of public affairs and communications Ade Mulya stated company operations never involved Makarim’s education ministry duties or Chromebook procurement activities.
Makarim departed Gojek following his 2019 ministerial appointment before the company merged with Tokopedia in 2021 to form Indonesia’s largest tech enterprise. – Reuters
