Nadiem Makarim expresses gratitude for being transferred to house arrest

Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Minister of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology for the 2019-2024 period, Nadiem Anwar Makarim, has expressed gratitude for his status being changed to house arrest since Tuesday (12/5). This allows him to receive treatment in a sterile environment after undergoing surgery. “I am grateful that the judge could act humanely by allowing me to be with my family during the recovery period,” Nadiem stated when met before the prosecution hearing at the Corruption Court at the Central Jakarta District Court on Wednesday. Upon returning home after his detention in the state detention centre (rutan), he experienced a mix of joy and sadness, making it difficult to describe his exact feelings. After the prosecution hearing, he said he would undergo surgery that evening to prevent his illness from spreading. “This is already my fourth or fifth operation, if I’m not mistaken. It needs to be handled immediately; otherwise, the risks are quite severe,” he explained. Nadiem is the defendant in a case of alleged corruption in the digitalisation of education programme involving the procurement of Chromebook laptops and Chrome Device Management (CDM) within the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology from 2019 to 2022. In that case, he is accused of corruption that harmed state finances by Rp2.18 trillion. The corruption is alleged to have occurred, among other things, through the implementation of 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, which did not comply with the procurement planning and principles. Nadiem’s actions are accused of being carried out jointly with three other defendants in separate trials, namely Ibrahim Arief alias Ibam, Mulyatsyah, and Sri Wahyuningsih, as well as Jurist Tan, who is currently a fugitive. Through these actions, Nadiem is alleged to have received money amounting to Rp809.59 billion originating from PT Aplikasi Karya Anak Bangsa (PT AKAB) via PT Gojek Indonesia. It is stated that most of PT AKAB’s funds came from Google’s investment of 786.99 million US dollars. This can be seen from Nadiem’s wealth recorded in the State Organiser’s Wealth Report (LHKPN) for 2022, which includes assets in the form of securities worth Rp5.59 trillion. For his actions, the former Minister of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology faces punishment as stipulated in Article 2 paragraph (1) or Article 3 in conjunction with Article 18 of Law No. 31 of 1999 on the Eradication of Corruption Crimes as amended and supplemented by Law No. 20 of 2001 jo. Article 55 paragraph (1) first of the Criminal Code.