Nadiem Makarim is confident he can be free of the Chromebook corruption case
JAKARTA - The Minister of Education and Culture for the period 2019-2024, Nadiem Anwar Makarim, admitted that he was optimistic that he would be free from the alleged corruption case of the education digitization program in the form of the procurement of Chromebook laptops and Chrome Device Management in the Ministry of Education and Culture environment in 2019-2022.
Because, he said, the witnesses at the trial had admitted that they had never been ordered or informed of themselves when they received gratification.
"God willing, I will be free and it is currently being proven," said Nadiem when met on the sidelines of the examination of witnesses at the Corruption Court in Central Jakarta, Monday, February 2, reported by ANTARA.
He admitted that he was surprised that several witnesses at the trial, who were his subordinates, admitted to receiving money in the form of gratification in the Chromebook corruption case.
Not only when receiving gratification, Nadiem said the witnesses at the trial also admitted that there was no intervention from him in the procurement process of Chromebooks through e-catalogs.
Thus, according to him, the price of procurement of Chromebooks in the e-catalog was not his responsibility as a minister at that time, but rather the authority between the vendor and the Government Procurement Policy Agency (LKPP).
"LKPP is also responsible for including products and verifying them," he added.
In this case, Nadiem is accused of corruption that has caused losses to state finances worth IDR 2.18 trillion.
Corruption, among others, was carried out by carrying out the procurement of learning facilities based on information and communication technology with laptops Chromebook and CDM for the 2020, 2021, and 2022 fiscal years not in accordance with the procurement planning and procurement principles.
The alleged act was carried out together with three other defendants who have been tried, 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 (USD) or equivalent to 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.