Nadiem: Chromebook Selection in Procurement Approved by Directors General
Jakarta — Nadiem Anwar Makarim, Education, Culture, Research, and Technology Minister for the 2019–2024 period, revealed that the selection of Chromebooks and Chrome Device Management (CDM) in the education digitalisation programme was conducted with the approval of the relevant director general.
Nadiem stated that the selection was based on findings from a technical team study, which was ultimately decided by the directorate with the approval of the director general in question.
“It has always been like that from the beginning,” said Nadiem whilst giving testimony as a crown witness at a corruption court hearing at the Central Jakarta District Court on Tuesday.
Despite possessing the prerogative right to express opinions and issue orders, Nadiem acknowledged that he did not interrupt the Chromebook selection in the programme at that time, nor did he change the choice from Windows systems to Chrome.
Therefore, according to him, the procurement did not require his approval to proceed.
“That is my answer, but I respectfully ask for correction if Mrs Sri and Mr Mul have different views,” he said.
Nadiem served as crown witness (witness and defendant simultaneously) against three defendants: Ibrahim Arief, alias Ibam, former Technology Consultant at the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology; Sri Wahyuningsih, Director of Primary Schools at the Directorate General of Early Childhood, Primary, and Secondary Education (Ditjen PAUD Dikdasmen) of the Ministry in 2020–2021; and Mulyatsyah, Director of Junior Secondary Schools at the same directorate in 2020–2021.
The losses include Rp1.56 trillion related to the education digitalisation programme at the Ministry, as well as US$44.05 million or approximately Rp621.39 billion due to unnecessary and ineffective CDM procurement in the education digitalisation programme.
It is stated that the three defendants committed unlawful acts together with Nadiem and Jurist Tan, former Special Staff to the Education Minister.
The unlawful acts committed by the defendants include procuring technology-based learning equipment in the form of Chromebook laptops and CDM in budget years 2020, 2021, and 2022 that did not comply with procurement planning and various procurement principles.
For their actions, the three defendants face penalties under Article 2 paragraph (1) or Article 3 in conjunction with Article 18 of Law Number 31 Year 1999 on the Eradication of Corruption Offences as amended and supplemented by Law Number 20 Year 2001, in conjunction with Article 55 paragraph (1) of the Criminal Code.