Nadiem Makarim: My Case Should Serve as a Lesson for Improving Our National Legal System
Jakarta, VIVA – The former Minister of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology for the 2019-2024 period, Nadiem Makarim, expressed his gratitude to all parties present during the reading of his defence statement (pleidoi) on Tuesday, 2 June 2026.
He stated he was moved by the support shown by numerous online motorcycle taxi (ojol) drivers who came to encourage him during the ongoing trial regarding the corruption case involving Chromebook procurement. “I am grateful to all the voices that defend the truth. I was quite moved to see the drivers outside accompanying me earlier. Many even joined from the streets,” Nadiem told journalists at the Central Jakarta Corruption Court on Tuesday, 2 June 2026.
Nadiem remarked that the case ensnaring him should serve as a lesson for the improvement of the legal system in Indonesia. He believes that Indonesian law must be based on the principles of Pancasila. “This is no longer about me; it is about our country. It is about whether the direction of not just the law, but the fundamental principles of Pancasila in this country, is still being held strongly,” Nadiem said. “That is all, and I hope this case serves as a lesson for the improvement of our legal system and our nation in the future,” he added.
Nadiem is one of the defendants in the alleged corruption case involving the education digitalisation programme, specifically related to the procurement of Chromebook laptops and Chrome Device Management (CDM) within the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology during the 2019 to 2022 period.
Previously, prosecutors sought an 18-year prison sentence for Nadiem. Additionally, he faces a fine of Rp1 billion, which, if unpaid, will be replaced by 190 days of imprisonment. The prosecution also demanded the payment of restitution amounting to Rp5.67 trillion, with a subsidiary sentence of nine years in prison.
According to the indictment, the former Minister was involved in corruption that caused state losses of approximately Rp2.18 trillion. The alleged violations occurred during the procurement of information and communication technology-based learning devices, namely Chromebook laptops and CDM, for the 2020, 2021, and 2022 budget years, which were deemed not to have been executed in accordance with planning or the principles of government goods and services procurement.