Nadiem Claims Chromebook Discussions Minimally Involved Him

Former Minister of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology Nadiem Anwar Makarim has stated that discussions regarding Chromebook laptops only minimally involved him during his tenure. “This is one of the most important points of fact from the trial,” Nadiem said while reading his duplik, or response to the prosecutor’s replik, during a hearing at the Corruption Court at the Central Jakarta District Court on Tuesday. According to him, out of his entire WhatsApp chat history while in office, there were only four or five interactions discussing Chromebooks. Even then, he said, it was because his opinion was sought. By comparison, Nadiem said his interactions related to the development of educational applications reached hundreds of times during his tenure as Minister of Education and Culture. He assessed that this shows the selection of information and communication technology specifications, including Chromebooks, was only a small part of the overall education digitalisation programme. Nadiem stressed he did not intend to downplay the laptop procurement programme. However, according to him, the main focus of the education digitalisation policy was on developing applications used by pupils, teachers, and university students. He stated that the greatest impact of the education digitalisation programme lies in the utilisation of applications and the digital learning ecosystem, not in the choice of devices used. Nadiem also admitted to attending only one meeting that specifically discussed the Chromebook procurement policy during his five years in office. “By comparison, I held meetings discussing educational applications twice a month throughout my tenure,” he said. Previously, public prosecutors demanded Nadiem be sentenced to 18 years in prison, a fine of Rp1 billion subsidiary to 190 days of confinement, and restitution of Rp5.67 trillion subsidiary to nine years in prison. In this case, Nadiem is accused of causing state financial losses of Rp2.18 trillion through the education digitalisation programme involving the procurement of Chromebook laptops and CDM. The act was allegedly committed together with three other defendants being tried in separate cases, namely Ibrahim Arief alias Ibam, Mulyatsyah, and Sri Wahyuningsih, as well as Jurist Tan, who remains a fugitive. For his actions, Nadiem is charged with violating 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 by Law Number 20 of 2001 in conjunction with Article 55 paragraph (1) 1st of the Criminal Code.