Prosecutor suspects Nadiem involved outsiders to keep Chromebook as procurement choice
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Prosecutor General’s Office Public Prosecutor Roy Riady suspects the involvement of outsiders to the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research and Technology (formerly Ministry of Education and Culture) in the laptop procurement carried out by Nadiem Anwar Makarim to ensure Chromebooks remained the chosen option.
Roy Riady stated that based on evidence and trial facts, Nadiem did not involve the ministry’s organic human resources, such as director generals and directors, in planning and identifying needs related to education digitalisation in various schools, including the Chromebook procurement.
“Then who was involved? That’s the question. The ones involved were outsiders, namely Jurist Tan, Fiona, and Ibrahim Arief, as well as several others,” Roy said in a statement received in Jakarta on Tuesday.
He explained that the outsiders brought into the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research and Technology, such as Jurist Tan, were individuals who had previously worked at PT Gojek Indonesia and even received scholarships from Gojek.
Meanwhile, he continued, Fiona Handayani, as Nadiem’s special staff, had previously been at the Centre for Education and Policy Studies (PSPK).
Before Nadiem took office as minister, he continued, a WhatsApp group named “Mas Menteri Core Team” was created in August 2019, aimed at gathering ideas or brainstorming visions for education policy and digitalisation.
Roy stated that in principle, the group would replace the role of the Basic and Secondary Education Division with outsiders.
Then, in the digitalisation programme procurement, he continued, director generals and directors were not involved, meaning Nadiem admitted to making the procurement decisions personally.
“Discussions in the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research and Technology group involving Jurist Tan, Fiona, and Ibrahim Arief had already addressed Chromebooks, but Nadiem claimed not to know about it,” he said.
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 from 2019 to 2022, Nadiem is charged with corruption that harmed state finances by Rp2.18 trillion.
The corruption is alleged to have been committed, among others, by implementing the procurement of information and communication technology-based learning facilities in the form of Chromebook laptops and CDM for the 2020, 2021, and 2022 fiscal years, not in accordance with the procurement plan and procurement principles.
Nadiem’s actions are charged as 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 for the education digitalisation programme.
With those actions, Nadiem is alleged to have received money amounting to Rp809.59 billion from PT Aplikasi Karya Anak Bangsa (PT AKAB) through PT Gojek Indonesia.
It is mentioned that most of PT AKAB’s funds came from Google’s investment of US$786.99 million.
This can be seen from Nadiem’s wealth recorded in the State Organiser’s Wealth Report (LHKPN) for 2022, which includes asset gains in the form of securities worth Rp5.59 trillion.
For his actions, the former Minister of Education, Culture, Research and Technology faces imprisonment as stipulated in Article 2 paragraph (1) or Article 3 in conjunction with Article 18 of Law Number 31 of 1999 on the Eradication of Criminal Acts of Corruption as amended and supplemented by Law Number 20 of 2001 jo. Article 55 paragraph (1) first of the Criminal Code.