Prosecutor Says Nadiem Failed to Implement JPN Recommendations in Chromebook Procurement
Public Prosecutor (JPU) Roy Riady has rebutted the statement by former Minister of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology Nadiem Makarim, who claimed to have obtained approval from state prosecutors (JPN) to proceed with the Chromebook procurement process. He stated that Nadiem’s remarks were misleading and inconsistent with the trial facts.
“The defendant’s statement by Nadiem Anwar Makarim, claiming that the Chromebook IT procurement was accompanied by the Prosecutor’s Office and complied with procedures, is a highly misleading statement that does not align with the facts presented in the trial. The trial facts reveal that the JPN’s recommendations for accompanying the procurement were not implemented by Nadiem,” Roy said in his statement on Wednesday (1/4/2026).
Roy explained that based on documentary evidence, physical evidence, and witness testimonies, the Chromebook procurement was deemed hasty in selecting the service provider. The JPN accompanying the procurement consistently reminded that it should be conducted in accordance with applicable laws and regulations.
“In the accompanying statement from the JPN, the Attorney General’s Office conveyed reminders to comply with and adhere to the existing laws and regulations for this Chromebook IT procurement,” he said.
However, he noted that the trial revealed these recommendations were not followed at the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology due to directives and orders from Nadiem as the minister at the time.
“The trial facts indicate that the procurement was not carried out according to the needs for IT utilisation in schools.”
Meanwhile, public policy expert Yanuar Wijanarko assessed that ignoring the JPN recommendations in the procurement process constitutes a violation of applicable laws and can be categorised as negligence.
“Even though a Letter of Opinion (LO) or Legal Audit (LA) does not automatically absolve the perpetrator from corruption charges, disregarding JPN recommendations emphasising ‘potential violations’ can be categorised as gross negligence, or even intent if state losses ultimately occur,” Yanuar said in his statement on Wednesday (1/4/2026).
According to Yanuar, non-compliance with the points raised by the JPN is not merely a technical issue but a failure in state administrative governance that results in widespread harm to the public.
“Failing to implement JPN recommendations in procurement is a form of maladministration. In the context of public policy, compliance with the rules is paramount to creating good governance. Ignoring JPN recommendations, especially those related to technical aspects, pricing, or procedures, carries a high risk of causing state financial losses, which are essentially public losses,” Yanuar emphasised.
Furthermore, he stressed that every state official should use such legal recommendations as a foundation for decision-making. Disregarding early warnings from the JPN only widens the gaps for systemic corruption in state spending processes.
“Compliance with these legal recommendations is crucial to ensure that every rupiah of the state budget is used for its intended purpose without violating established regulatory procedures,” Yanuar said.
Previously, Nadiem had stated that the Attorney General’s Office was involved in supervising the Chromebook procurement process for educational digitalisation at the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology.
“This is a procurement where we invited the prosecutors to monitor and supervise from start to finish. Even in the room where the PPK (Pejabat Pembuat Komitmen, or Committing Officer) clicked on the procurement, there was a prosecutor accompanying,” Nadiem said at the Central Jakarta Corruption Court on Monday (30/3/2026).
It is known that in Nadiem’s case, he is charged alongside three others: Technology Consultant Ibrahim Arief alias Ibam, SMP Director Mulyatsyah, and SD Director Sri Wahyuningsih. Meanwhile, another individual, former special staff (stafsus) to Nadiem, Jurist Tan, remains a fugitive and is on the wanted list (DPO) as he is abroad.
The total state loss in this alleged corruption case is said to reach Rp2.1 trillion, stemming from overpriced Chromebooks worth Rp1.5 trillion and an unnecessary Content Delivery Management (CDM) procurement valued at Rp621 billion.
The trial is taking place at the Corruption Court of the Central Jakarta District Court today, Monday (30/3/2026), with the agenda of examining expert witnesses from the public prosecutors (JPU).
The JPU team has revealed facts in the trial of the alleged corruption case involving Chromebook laptop procurement within the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology.
The JPU stated that based on Nadiem’s orders, structural officials at echelon two level, such as directors and PPK, were pressured through memoranda from Jurist Tan and Fiona as special staff.
The prosecutor explained that pressure began after Nadiem’s appointment as Minister of Education and Culture and continued until the end of his tenure.
Mens rea in this case can be seen in conversations in a WhatsApp group discussing the Chromebook laptop procurement.