Nadiem Requests Acquittal: Not a Single Chromebook Corruption Allegation Proven

JAKARTA — The former Minister of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology, Nadiem Makarim, has asserted that no criminal elements have been proven in the alleged corruption case regarding the procurement of Chromebook laptops that has implicated him. This was stated by Nadiem while reading his plea (pleidoi) at the Central Jakarta Corruption Court (Tipikor) on Tuesday (2/6/2026).

In his defence, Nadiem stated that the trial facts demonstrate an absence of both state losses and criminal intent in the matter. “If even one of these elements is not proven, then the defendant must be acquitted by law,” Nadiem stated before the panel of judges. “With all due respect, in this case, not a single one of these elements has been proven,” he added.

“This case has shocked many parties, including myself, because it is purely an investigative error,” he said.

Nadiem also denied direct involvement in the procurement of Chromebook laptops within the ministry. He emphasised that the decision to use Chrome OS was not a ministerial decision. “I have never signed any document related to the procurement of Chromebook laptops under the Ministry,” he stated.

In his plea, Nadiem mentioned that the selection of the Chrome OS operating system was actually intended to save the state budget. He further noted that the trial results, according to him, failed to prove his involvement in the alleged corruption. “Not a single one has proven the indictment,” he concluded. He also asserted that there is no causal link between the ministry’s policies and the alleged state losses.