Nadiem's Demands Exceed Those for Murderers and Terrorists: It's Probably Clear That I'm Innocent

Jakarta, VIVA – The Minister of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology for the 2019-2024 period, Nadiem Makarim, considers the criminal demands against him in the alleged Chromebook corruption case to be greater than the sentences usually imposed on murderers and terrorists. This is because, he said, the 18-year prison demand plus a subsidiary demand for restitution money equivalent to 9 years in prison against him nearly totals 27 years in prison. “Today I am effectively demanded 27 years, a record. Greater than various other criminals,” Nadiem stated when met after the reading of the indictment letter at the Corruption Court at the Central Jakarta District Court, Wednesday, 13 May 2026. Nadiem admitted to being confused. “Why is my demand greater than for murderers? My demand greater than for terrorists?” he said. He was also surprised because he feels there is no administrative error or any element of corruption that he committed, which the entire public has already known. Therefore, he considers the high demands to be a form of fear by the public prosecutors if he is acquitted by the panel of judges. “Well, this is probably because in the course of the trial it is already clear that I am not guilty,” he stated. Previously, Nadiem was demanded with an 18-year prison sentence, a fine of Rp1 billion subsidiary 190 days in prison, and restitution money of Rp5.67 trillion subsidiary 9 years in prison. In the alleged corruption case of the education digitalisation programme involving the procurement of Chromebook laptops and Chrome Device Management (CDM) within the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology in 2019–2022, Nadiem is accused of committing corruption that harmed the state finances by Rp2.18 trillion. 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 budget years, not in accordance with the procurement planning and procurement principles. Nadiem’s actions are accused of being committed 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. In detail, the state losses caused amount to 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 the procurement of unnecessary and unbeneficial CDM in the education digitalisation programme.