JAKARTA - The Minister of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology for the period 2019-2024, Nadiem Anwar Makarim, assessed that the criminal charges against him in the alleged corruption case of Chromebooks were greater than the usual sentences imposed on murderers and terrorists.
The reason, he said, the demand for a 18-year prison sentence and the demand for a substitute money penalty of 9 years in prison against him almost reached a total of 27 years in prison.
"I am today effectively charged with 27 years, a record. Bigger than various other criminals," said Nadiem when met after the reading of the summons at the Corruption Court at the Jakpus PN, Wednesday, May 13, reported by ANTARA.
Nadiem admitted to being confused. "Why is my demand bigger than the killer? My demand is bigger than the terrorist?" he said.
He was also surprised because he felt that there was no administrative error and any corruption element that he had done, where the whole community also knew about it.
Thus, he assessed that the high demands were a form of fear of the public prosecutor if he was released by the panel of judges.
"Well, this is probably because in the course of the trial it has been clear that I am innocent," he said.
Previously, Nadiem was charged with a prison sentence of 18 years, a fine of Rp1 billion, a substitute of 190 days in prison, and a substitute of Rp5.67 trillion, a substitute of 9 years in prison.
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 the state treasury worth IDR 2.18 trillion.
The corruption was allegedly carried out, among others, by carrying out the procurement of learning facilities based on information and communication technology with Chromebook laptops and CDM in the 2020, 2021, and 2022 budget years, which were not in accordance with the procurement planning and procurement principles.
Nadiem's actions were charged together with three other defendants in a different trial, namely Ibrahim Arief alias 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 State-level Wealth Report (LHKPN) in 2022, namely there is an acquisition of property in the form of securities worth IDR 5.59 trillion.
For his actions, the former Minister of Education and Culture is threatened with a criminal penalty as stipulated in Article 2 paragraph (1) or Article 3 jo. Article 18 of Law (UU) 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.
The English, Chinese, Japanese, Arabic, and French versions are automatically generated by the AI. So there may still be inaccuracies in translating, please always see Indonesian as our main language. (system supported by DigitalSiber.id)
