Health Deteriorating, Nadiem Admits Need for Surgery Again

Nadiem Makarim/ANTARA FOTO/Indrianto Eko Suwarso/YU

JAKARTA - The Minister of Education and Culture for the period 2019-2024, Nadiem Anwar Makarim, said there was a possibility that he would need to undergo surgery again because of his declining health.

"Based on the MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) yesterday, the report was not good because there was a setback in my healing, there was a new reinfection inside plus an external wound," said Nadiem when answering the judge's question about his condition in the examination of witnesses at the Corruption Court at the Jakpus District Court, Thursday, March 5, reported by ANTARA.

Therefore, intensive care is also needed for him as it was several months ago.

Previously, Nadiem also underwent surgery and intensive care so that his first trial was postponed twice, namely on December 16, 2025 and December 23, 2025.

Presiding Judge Purwanto Abdullah also asked Nadiem not to force himself to undergo a hearing of a witness if he was in an unhealthy condition.

"If you feel a little unwell or what you are communicating, don't force it," said the Chief Justice.

If indeed other intensive actions are needed later, such as surgery, the Chief Justice hopes that Nadiem can report to the prison authorities and the Prosecutor's Office.

Even so, Nadiem still underwent an examination hearing today. As for the examination hearing, there is a former special staff of Nadiem, Fiona Handayani along with the former Technology Consultant of the Ministry of Education and Culture, Ibrahim Arief alias Ibam, who is asked for his testimony.

Together with Nadiem, Ibam has also become a defendant in the case of alleged corruption in the education digitization program in the form of the procurement of Chromebook laptops and Chrome Device Management (CDM) in the Ministry of Education and Culture in 2019-2022.

Nadiem is accused of corruption that has caused losses to state finances worth IDR 2.18 trillion, which, among others, was carried out by carrying out the procurement of information and communication technology-based learning facilities with Chromebook laptops and CDM in the 2020, 2021, and 2022 budget years not in accordance with procurement planning and procurement principles.

The alleged act was carried out together with three other defendants in a different trial, namely Ibam, Mulyatsyah, and Sri Wahyuningsih, as well as Jurist Tan, who is currently still at large.

In detail, the losses caused by the state include Rp1.56 trillion related to the education digitization program at the Ministry of Education and Culture, as well as 44.05 million US dollars or the equivalent of Rp621.39 billion due to the procurement of CDM that is not necessary and not useful in the education digitization program.

With this act, Nadiem is suspected of having received money amounting to IDR 809.59 billion originating from PT Aplikasi Karya Anak Bangsa (PT AKAB) through PT Gojek Indonesia.

It is stated that most of PT AKAB's money comes from Google's investment of US$786.99 million.

This can be seen from Nadiem's wealth which is recorded in the LHKPN in 2022, namely there is an acquisition of property in the form of securities worth IDR 5.59 trillion.

For his actions, Nadiem is threatened with a criminal penalty as stipulated in Article 2 paragraph (1) or Article 3 in conjunction with Article 18 of Law Number 31 of 1999 concerning the Eradication of Corruption as amended and supplemented by Law Number 20 of 2001 jo. Article 55 paragraph (1) of the Criminal Code.