During the resumed hearing into the Chromebook procurement corruption\ncase on Thursday (5\/3), which involves Nadiem Anwar Makarim, the\nminister for Education, Culture, Research and Technology for 2019-2024,\nnew facts emerged. Testimony from witnesses clarified that there was no\noverpricing or enrichment as alleged in the indictment.<\/p>\n
Alexander Vidi, the Principal of PT Dell Indonesia, testified that\nhis company actually ran a deficit in the Chromebook procurement\nproject. Based on mathematical calculations and the documents available,\nhe asserted that the company had sustained losses, because payments to\nthe factory had to be made according to orders, while receipts from\ndistributors followed the Purchase Order (PO) documents. He also\nquestioned the origin of the Rp112 billion figure cited in the\nindictment for enrichment, noting he did not know the basis of the\ncalculation data.<\/p>\n
Alexander also questioned the origin of the Rp112 billion figure\nmentioned in the indictment as alleged enrichment, because he did not\nknow the basis of the calculation data. \u201cSo if you ask in real terms, we\ndid incur a loss, Sir. I do not know where the Rp112 billion figure came\nfrom; there should be data that can be provided,\u201d he testified.<\/p>\n
A similar rebuttal came from Chandra Advan, representative of PT\nBangga\/Chromebook Advan. He clarified that the real gross profit earned\nby his company from Chromebook procurements from 2021 to 2022 was Rp14.7\nbillion. This figure contrasts sharply with the indictment which claimed\na Rp48 billion profit. Chandra also disclosed that the Rp48 billion\nfigure had never been shared with him during the investigation or when\nexamined by BPKP.<\/p>\n
MARKETING FUNDS<\/p>\n
Beyond pricing, the hearing highlighted the term co-investment\nappearing in the Berita Acara Pemeriksaan (BAP). Rico Gunawan, a\nrepresentative of PT Acer, explained that the funds were actually\nmarketing funds, a common practice in the technology industry. He\nexplained that the funds came from various principals such as Google,\nIntel, Microsoft and AMD, and were used purely for marketing activities\nsuch as advertising and training for partners, not for personal\nkickbacks.<\/p>\n
\u201cCo-investment is perhaps better described as a marketing fund. When\nwe work with principals like Intel, Microsoft, Google, there are usually\nmarketing activities and they provide marketing funding. The funds are\nfor products we actually use. They are used for marketing activities\nsuch as advertising, training for partners, resellers or distributors.\nSo not for personal remuneration; it is indeed a marketing fund that is\ncommon to all brands,\u201d said Rico.<\/p>\n
NADIEM PRESENT<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, during yesterday\u2019s hearing, Nadiem said there might be a\nneed for another operation due to deteriorating health, yet he continued\nto attend the day\u2019s examination. Also present were Nadiem\u2019s former\nspecial adviser, Fiona Handayani, and former Technology Consultant at\nthe Ministry of Education, Culture, Research and Technology Ibrahim\nArief, alias Ibam, who were summoned to testify. Along with Nadiem, Ibam\nhas also been charged in the case of alleged corruption in the education\ndigitalisation programme involving Chromebook laptops and Chrome Device\nManagement (CDM) within Kemendikbudristek during 2019-2022.<\/p>\n
Nadiem is charged with corruption causing state losses of Rp2.18\ntrillion, including through the procurement of technology-based learning\ntools such as Chromebook laptops and CDM in the 2020-2022 fiscal years,\nnot in accordance with procurement planning and procurement\nprinciples.<\/p>\n
A poll by Indikator Politik Indonesia released on Sunday, 8 February,\nnoted increasing public attention to the Chromebook procurement case.\nNadiem stated that all witnesses called by the prosecutors in that\nhearing were from parties involved in the procurement. Dhany testified\nin the continued hearing into the Chromebook procurement case involving\nthe former Minister of Education. The continued hearing into the\nChromebook procurement case, with witness examinations proposed by the\nPublic Prosecutor, uncovered several important facts.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/dell-indonesia-principal-denies-overpricing-in-chromebook-procurement-1772870624", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }