Nadiem Reveals Prosecutor's Logical Error: Rp 4.87 Trillion Asset Increase Not Corruption Proceeds, But GoTo IPO

JAKARTA – The Minister of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology for the 2019–2024 period, Nadiem Anwar Makarim, has refuted claims that a Rp 4.87 trillion increase in his assets resulted from corruption. That asset increase represents the value from the initial public offering (IPO) of PT GoTo Gojek Tokopedia Tbk (GOTO) in 2022. Nadiem stated that the figure was reported in his annual tax return (SPT) as the IPO value, but it is not money he received. “That’s just the IPO value. So, from there, it’s taken, okay, now it has to be paid back. What’s the logic in that?” Nadiem said when met after the reading of the prosecutor’s indictment at the Corruption Court at the Central Jakarta District Court on Wednesday. Nadiem added that the same applies to the Rp 809.59 billion accused as corruption proceeds. He stated that the amount has been proven to be a transfer between two companies, namely PT Gojek Indonesia and PT Aplikasi Karya Anak Bangsa (AKAB), so he is not involved. “This has nothing to do with Google, nothing to do with Chromebook,” he said. Therefore, Nadiem expressed disappointment because the facts from the trial so far have been ignored. He believes that the proof process in the trial so far is pointless if the prosecutor’s demands are based only on the indictment. “Why are we even having a trial? Might as well just convict us directly. At least, it wouldn’t waste all our time like this,” Nadiem remarked.