IAW Adduces Allegations of Monopoly of the Chromebook Project to the KPPU

JAKARTA - Indonesian Audit Watch (IAW) filed a complaint to the Competition Supervisory Commission (KPPU) regarding alleged monopoly practices in the Chromebook procurement project today.

The facts of the trial of alleged corruption at the Jakarta Tipikor Court, including the objection of the Microsoft party as an entry point.

"We are trying to take advantage of the momentum of the tipikor trial because the fact of the trial reveals that there are objections from Microsoft through the Cabinet Secretariat," said Iskandar Sitorus as the Founding Secretary of IAW to reporters, Wednesday, May 6.

Iskandar assessed that the objection was a sign that the procurement of Chromebooks could not be seen as a mere technical issue. Moreover, from the beginning of the project, it has the potential to lead to the locking of a certain technology ecosystem, which makes it difficult for other competitors to enter the market.

"We hope that the KPPU can use this as the initial evidence that this is an unhealthy competition between Microsoft versus Google," he said.

Iskandar explained, in the perspective of business competition, this condition is known as a barrier to market entry or barrier to entry which is actually formed from the policy itself.

In addition, he also highlighted the tender process which was considered a potential formality if the specifications were determined from the beginning.

"If from the beginning the specifications have been locked, then the tender is not looking for the best, but inaugurating what has been determined," he said.

The IAW has submitted complete documents to the KPPU, including the initial report which was previously also submitted to the Attorney General's Office. "From the initial complaint to the attachment of the project," he explained.

In the future, Iskandar encourages the KPPU to use its authority to directly access trial data to strengthen the evidence. IAW also asks Microsoft to be called to clarify the objections revealed in the trial.

"Based on the facts available, we ask the KPPU to immediately summon Microsoft as a first step," concluded Iskandar.