Dell Indonesia Principal Denies Overpricing in Chromebook Procurement
During the resumed hearing into the Chromebook procurement corruption case on Thursday (5/3), which involves Nadiem Anwar Makarim, the minister for Education, Culture, Research and Technology for 2019-2024, new facts emerged. Testimony from witnesses clarified that there was no overpricing or enrichment as alleged in the indictment.
Alexander Vidi, the Principal of PT Dell Indonesia, testified that his company actually ran a deficit in the Chromebook procurement project. Based on mathematical calculations and the documents available, he asserted that the company had sustained losses, because payments to the factory had to be made according to orders, while receipts from distributors followed the Purchase Order (PO) documents. He also questioned the origin of the Rp112 billion figure cited in the indictment for enrichment, noting he did not know the basis of the calculation data.
Alexander also questioned the origin of the Rp112 billion figure mentioned in the indictment as alleged enrichment, because he did not know the basis of the calculation data. “So if you ask in real terms, we did incur a loss, Sir. I do not know where the Rp112 billion figure came from; there should be data that can be provided,” he testified.
A similar rebuttal came from Chandra Advan, representative of PT Bangga/Chromebook Advan. He clarified that the real gross profit earned by his company from Chromebook procurements from 2021 to 2022 was Rp14.7 billion. This figure contrasts sharply with the indictment which claimed a Rp48 billion profit. Chandra also disclosed that the Rp48 billion figure had never been shared with him during the investigation or when examined by BPKP.
MARKETING FUNDS
Beyond pricing, the hearing highlighted the term co-investment appearing in the Berita Acara Pemeriksaan (BAP). Rico Gunawan, a representative of PT Acer, explained that the funds were actually marketing funds, a common practice in the technology industry. He explained that the funds came from various principals such as Google, Intel, Microsoft and AMD, and were used purely for marketing activities such as advertising and training for partners, not for personal kickbacks.
“Co-investment is perhaps better described as a marketing fund. When we work with principals like Intel, Microsoft, Google, there are usually marketing activities and they provide marketing funding. The funds are for products we actually use. They are used for marketing activities such as advertising, training for partners, resellers or distributors. So not for personal remuneration; it is indeed a marketing fund that is common to all brands,” said Rico.
NADIEM PRESENT
Meanwhile, during yesterday’s hearing, Nadiem said there might be a need for another operation due to deteriorating health, yet he continued to attend the day’s examination. Also present were Nadiem’s former special adviser, Fiona Handayani, and former Technology Consultant at the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research and Technology Ibrahim Arief, alias Ibam, who were summoned to testify. Along with Nadiem, Ibam has also been charged in the case of alleged corruption in the education digitalisation programme involving Chromebook laptops and Chrome Device Management (CDM) within Kemendikbudristek during 2019-2022.
Nadiem is charged with corruption causing state losses of Rp2.18 trillion, including through the procurement of technology-based learning tools such as Chromebook laptops and CDM in the 2020-2022 fiscal years, not in accordance with procurement planning and procurement principles.
A poll by Indikator Politik Indonesia released on Sunday, 8 February, noted increasing public attention to the Chromebook procurement case. Nadiem stated that all witnesses called by the prosecutors in that hearing were from parties involved in the procurement. Dhany testified in the continued hearing into the Chromebook procurement case involving the former Minister of Education. The continued hearing into the Chromebook procurement case, with witness examinations proposed by the Public Prosecutor, uncovered several important facts.