Flooring Guide by Cinvex Former Minister of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology, Nadiem Makarim, has finally spoken out following a severe sentencing demand from public prosecutors in the ongoing Chromebook corruption case. During the court proceedings, the former minister firmly denied any correlation between his personal wealth and the charges currently levied against him.
In a hearing held on Wednesday (13/5/2026), prosecutors demanded that Nadiem Makarim pay restitution totaling Rp5.6 trillion. This staggering figure is comprised of Rp809.5 billion and Rp4.8 trillion, which the prosecution claims represent the proceeds of corruption during his tenure as minister.
Responding to these demands, the husband of Franka Makarim expressed his deep distress. He argued that the valuation used by the prosecutors does not reflect his current net worth. Instead, he claimed the figure represents the peak value of his assets recorded during the initial public offering (IPO) of GoJek shares.
“What hurts me the most is that I have dedicated nine to ten years of my life to this country, only to face restitution demands based on the peak valuation of my wealth at the time of the IPO,” Nadiem stated in a post shared via his wife’s social media. “That was a fleeting moment and does not represent real wealth.”
Nadiem expressed confusion regarding the legal basis of linking his IPO earnings—wealth accumulated as the founder of GoJek long before his ministerial appointment—to the Chromebook procurement case. He reiterated that his assets were acquired legally and well before he entered government service.
He emphasized that the company he built from the ground up has provided a significant positive impact on Indonesia by creating millions of jobs. Consequently, he feels it is fundamentally unjust to equate the value of his GoJek shares with the alleged corruption regarding laptop procurement for national education programs.
Beyond the hefty restitution, the potential penalties Nadiem faces are substantial. Prosecutors have requested an 18-year prison sentence along with a fine of Rp1 billion. Furthermore, if the Rp5.6 trillion restitution is not paid within one month of a final, legally binding court verdict, all of his assets are subject to seizure and auction by the state.
If the proceeds from such an asset seizure are insufficient to meet the total demand, Nadiem Makarim faces an additional nine-year prison sentence.
This case centers on alleged irregularities in the procurement of Chromebook laptops and Chrome Device Management (CDM) systems intended for the education digitalization program between 2020 and 2022. Prosecutors argue that the procurement process lacked proper planning and failed to utilize credible price surveys. As a result, the program reportedly failed to function optimally, particularly in the disadvantaged 3T regions (Frontier, Outermost, and Underdeveloped).
Due to these allegations, Nadiem Makarim is charged under various articles of the Law on the Eradication of Corruption Crimes and the Criminal Code (KUHP). (Tribun Trends/Tribunnews Bogor)
Summary
Nadiem Makarim has denied any correlation between his personal wealth and the Chromebook corruption charges, following a demand from prosecutors for Rp5.6 trillion in restitution. This substantial sum, which prosecutors claim represents proceeds of corruption during his tenure, accompanies requests for an 18-year prison sentence and a Rp1 billion fine. Makarim stated that the valuation reflects his peak assets during the GoJek IPO, a value accumulated legally long before his ministerial appointment, and does not represent his current net worth.
He expressed confusion over the legal basis of linking his GoJek earnings to the alleged laptop procurement irregularities, emphasizing his assets were acquired prior to government service. The case itself concerns alleged irregularities in the 2020-2022 procurement of Chromebooks and Chrome Device Management systems, which reportedly lacked proper planning. Failure to pay the restitution could lead to asset seizure or an additional nine-year prison sentence.