Nadiem: Decision on Chromebook Procurement Finalised at Director General Level

Former Minister of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology during the era of Indonesia’s 7th President Joko Widodo, Nadiem Anwar Makarim, claims he never decided on the procurement of Chromebook laptops, which prosecutors say harmed the state finances by Rp2.18 trillion. Nadiem says all decisions were finalised at the Director General (Dirjen) level or even by the Commitment Making Officer (PPK). This was stated by Nadiem during his examination as a defendant at the Corruption Court (Tipikor) at the Central Jakarta District Court on Monday (11/5). “In the history of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology, from previous ministers, the minister has never signed specifications for laptops or ICT (Information and Communication Technology),” Nadiem said before the panel of judges. “That has always been done at the Director General level or even at the Director level, or at the Commitment Making Officer (PPK) level,” he continued. Reflecting on this, Nadiem states that the facts of the trial so far have been obscured. “So, one thing I very much regret in this trial is the creation of obscurity, the creation of confusion about who actually has the authority. Not opinion, the fact from the signature on the policy regarding specifications, whether Chrome or Windows, is not at the minister’s level. That is the authority at the Director level,” he emphasised. He explained that in 2020 there was a Director General’s Decree (SK) to change the laptop specifications in the digitalisation programme. He said the change was the result of technical guidance. “The minister did not sign, not only did not sign the specification documentation, the minister also never signed the appointment of technical guidance. The minister never signed studies,” Nadiem said. “The minister did not sign anything related to the procurement by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology of Chromebook laptops during my tenure,” he added. Nadiem is being prosecuted for corruption allegations harming state finances worth Rp2.18 trillion related to the education digitalisation programme in the form of Chromebook laptop and CDM procurement within the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology in 2019-2022. The corruption is alleged to have been committed, among others, by carrying out the procurement of information and communication technology-based learning facilities in the form of Chromebook laptops and CDM for the 2020, 2021, and 2022 fiscal years not in accordance with the procurement planning and procurement principles. The act was carried out together with other defendants in separate trials, namely Ibrahim Arief, Mulyatsyah, and Sri Wahyuningsih, as well as Jurist Tan who is currently still at large. In detail, the state losses include Rp1.56 trillion related to the education digitalisation programme at the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology, as well as US$44.05 million or equivalent to Rp621.39 billion due to unnecessary and unbeneficial CDM procurement. With that act, Nadiem is alleged to have received money amounting to Rp809.59 billion originating from PT Aplikasi Karya Anak Bangsa (PT AKAB) through PT Gojek Indonesia. It is mentioned that most of the source of funds for PT AKAB comes from Google’s investment worth US$786.99 million.