Jakarta, Indonesia — Indonesian authorities have named former education minister and Gojek co-founder Nadiem Makarim as a suspect in a major corruption case linked to the procurement of government laptops. He has been taken into custody as investigators pursue allegations of misconduct that could have cost the state more than 1.9 trillion rupiah (US$115 million).
Officials at the Attorney General’s Office said on Thursday that Makarim will be held for 20 days pending further investigation. The case centers on the procurement of Google Chromebook laptops during his tenure as education minister between 2019 and 2024, particularly in the period when schools shifted to remote learning amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
RELATED NEWS : MoS Pabitra Margherita Meets Indonesian Minister Natalius Pigai to Strengthen Bilateral Ties
“For investigation purposes, Makarim will be detained for the next 20 days,” said Nurcahyo Jungkung Madyo, the director of investigations, at a press conference in Jakarta.
According to prosecutors, Makarim is accused of abusing his authority as minister to enrich himself or others by pushing for the adoption of Chromebooks despite internal research teams warning the devices were less effective in areas with poor internet access.
The education ministry project, valued at 9.3 trillion rupiah (US$563 million), allegedly led to losses of nearly 1.98 trillion rupiah (US$121.85 million) to the state. Three other suspects — including a former education ministry staffer and two former technology company officials — have also been detained in connection with the case.
Makarim, once celebrated as one of Indonesia’s leading tech entrepreneurs, was seen being escorted in handcuffs and wearing a red detainee vest as he left the prosecutor’s office. Facing reporters, he proclaimed his innocence:
“I didn’t do anything, the truth will come out,” he said. “God will reveal the truth! For me, throughout my life, integrity is number one, honesty is number one. May God protect me.”
His legal team has yet to issue a formal response.
Makarim co-founded Gojek in 2015, building it into Southeast Asia’s first decacorn startup, before stepping down in 2019 to join President Joko Widodo’s cabinet. During his tenure as minister, he championed digital learning initiatives and defended the Chromebook procurement program, claiming it had successfully delivered over one million laptops to 77,000 schools by 2023.
The high-profile arrest marks a dramatic turn for a figure once hailed as the face of Indonesia’s digital economy and reformist policymaking. The corruption probe is expected to intensify in the coming weeks, with investigators signaling more names could surface as the case unfolds.
SOURCE : AGENCIES | Follow Us: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Youtube |
