Fact of the Chromebook Corruption Trial is Considered to Strengthen the Allegation of Procurement Engineering

JAKARTA - Indonesian Audit Watch (IAW) assessed that the trial of the Chromebook procurement case that ensnared former Education Minister Nadiem Makarim revealed a systemic pattern in the procurement of information and communication technology (ICT) by the government.

IAW Founding Secretary Iskandar Sitorus said that the emergence of Microsoft's complaints, which even reached the Cabinet Secretariat, was strong evidence that the main problem was not the quality of the product, but rather the access which was closed from the beginning through policy.

"Microsoft's complaint is the strongest evidence that what we are facing is not just a technical negligence, but a flawed policy design from the start," said Iskandar, Wednesday, January 21.

According to IAW, the facts revealed at the trial actually confirmed the findings of the Financial Audit Agency (BPK) for more than a decade regarding chronic diseases in the procurement of ICT, ranging from specification locking (spec locking), systemic dependence (vendor lock-in), to waste of budget.

"For the past 10 years, the BPK has found the same pattern: planning is not based on needs, specifications are locked on certain brands, license fees are not transparent, and assets are eventually idle. The recommendations are always the same, but they never change," said Iskandar.

IAW highlighted the forced use of Chromebooks in areas with limited internet access, even though the device is highly dependent on cloud-based services. According to IAW, this condition shows engineered demand.

"The problem is created first, then the solution is sold. This is not an education policy, this is a design of dependence," he said.

Iskandar explained that in the case of the Chromebook, the state did not only buy laptops, but also bought device management licenses through Chrome Device Management (CDM), which only applies to one closed ecosystem owned by Google.

"Without that license, the device does not function optimally. This is a technical lock, an ecosystem lock, and a financial lock at once. The state is harmed," he said.

IAW appreciates the Attorney General's Office which places CDM not as a usual additional cost, but as part of the construction of alleged criminal acts.

"The country not only buys goods, but is forced to surrender its sovereignty over the management of its assets. This is where Microsoft's complaint becomes an indisputable key piece of evidence," said Iskandar.

According to IAW, the main problem is not the superiority of certain products, but the procurement process that does not give room for other products to compete fairly.

"This is the essence of an unlevel playing field. Other products are not even given the opportunity to prove themselves," he said.

IAW assessed that the Chromebook case should be a turning point for improving the overall governance of state technology procurement, not just an individual criminal case.

"The facts of the trial prove that corruption in the digital era can be very subtle. It's not about money going into your pocket, but about designing rules to lock the system for corporate interests," said Iskandar.

"If all you are after is money, while the locking system is left, then this disease will continue to recur," he concluded.