Nadiem Makarim
Former Indonesian Minister of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology Nadiem Makarim has been formally indicted over alleged corruption linked to a large-scale Chromebook procurement programme, with prosecutors claiming the scheme caused state losses of approximately US$125 million.
The indictment was read on 5 January 2026 at the Jakarta Anti-Corruption Court (Tipikor) and centres on the purchase of Chromebook laptops and Chrome Device Management (CDM) software as part of Indonesia’s national education digitalisation push during Makarim’s tenure from 2019 to 2024.
Also Read: Inside Indonesia’s US$610M Chromebook scandal: Raids, arrests, and Nadiem Makarim under scrutiny
Alleged state losses and procurement failures
According to prosecutors, the losses stemmed from two primary sources. About US$93 million was allegedly caused by inflated Chromebook pricing, while a further US$37 million was spent on CDM software that prosecutors said was unnecessary and delivered no tangible benefit to the ministry.
These findings were confirmed by an audit conducted in November 2025 by the Indonesian Financial and Development Supervisory Agency (BPKP).
The prosecution argued that the procurement process between 2019 and 2022 failed to meet basic planning and procurement standards. Crucially, the devices were found to be essentially unusable in Indonesia’s so-called “3T” regions (frontier, outermost, and remote areas) due to inadequate infrastructure.
The court heard that Chromebooks and the accompanying software were rolled out without a comprehensive needs assessment, reliable field surveys, or proper price benchmarking, particularly for schools in underserved regions.
Allegations of personal enrichment
Prosecutors further alleged that the scheme personally enriched Makarim, co-founder of Gojek, by approximately US$48.5 million. The procurement was carried out through official e-catalogues and the School Procurement Information System (SIPLah), but allegedly without mandatory reference pricing or robust price evaluations.
He is accused of acting in concert with several officials and external parties, including Sri Wahyuningsih, former Director of Primary Schools; Mulyatsyah, former Director of Junior High Schools; Ibrahim Arief, a consultant; and Jurist Tan, a former special staff member who is currently a fugitive.
Makarim faces charges under Articles 2 and 3 of Indonesia’s Anti-Corruption Law, in conjunction with the Criminal Code, which carry heavy penalties for abuse of authority resulting in state losses. Court observers noted that Nadiem appeared to smile while the indictment was read.
A case years in the making
The indictment marks a key milestone in a long-running investigation that intensified in mid-2025. Indonesia’s Attorney General’s Office launched a formal probe in May 2025, examining dozens of witnesses involved in Chromebook procurements valued at nearly US$600 million overall.
Indonesia names Nadiem Makarim a suspect in laptop procurement corruption case
Makarim publicly denied wrongdoing in June 2025, defending the use of Chromebooks as a cost-effective solution for remote learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. He was later questioned as a witness, barred from overseas travel, and named a suspect in September 2025 before being detained.
Multiple trial delays followed, including a postponement in December 2025 due to Makarim’s post-surgery recovery, before proceedings resumed in January.
Separately, Indonesia’s Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) is reportedly examining a related procurement involving Google Cloud services, in which Makarim has been listed as a potential suspect.
The trial is set to continue with the examination of evidence related to weak data support, flawed procurement practices, and the failure of the digital education initiative to reach Indonesia’s most vulnerable students.
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