Franka: Nadiem's Love for Indonesia Remains Unchanged

JAKARTA — Franka Franklin, wife of Nadiem Makarim, the former Minister of Education, Culture, Research and Technology, says there is one thing about her husband that has not changed: his love for Indonesia. ‘One thing that perhaps Nadiem has always been very consistent about is his love for Indonesia,’ she said at ROSI on Kompas TV on Thursday evening, 21 May 2026. She said his love for Indonesia is the same as when Nadiem returned home after studying at Harvard, United States. The love for Indonesia, she said, is the same as when Nadiem founded Gojek and achieved success, then became minister, and now stands as a defendant in an alleged Chromebook-based laptop procurement case. ‘And one thing I have seen very clearly is that whatever happens he will always be grateful and proud to have dedicated his life to Indonesia,’ Franka said. Franka said there were many disappointments and anger towards Nadiem, because, according to Franka, Nadiem is an ordinary human who is not perfect. ‘I hope our legal system and people can recognise that that disapproval is not a sufficient reason to jail my husband. If there is no wrongdoing and nothing was done, why should he be there (punished)?’ she said. For reference, prosecutors have asked the Central Jakarta High Court’s panel to convict Nadiem Makarim of 18 years’ imprisonment, alongside fines and restitution worth trillions of rupiah, in the Chromebook-based laptop procurement case, on Wednesday 13 May 2026. In addition to imprisonment, the prosecutors also seek a fine of Rp 1 billion. If not paid, the fine would be replaced with 190 days in prison. Furthermore, prosecutors seek additional penalties in the form of restitution of Rp 809.596 billion and Rp 4.871 trillion. They also state that if Nadiem does not have sufficient assets to pay the restitution, it would be replaced with a nine-year prison sentence.