Former Minister Nadiem Makarim Named as Suspect in Major Corruption Case

Indonesian authorities have detained former education minister and Gojek co-founder Nadiem Makarim in connection with a corruption case involving Chromebook laptop procurement. The investigation suggests that Makarim misused his ministerial position, causing significant financial losses to the state. His connections with Google are under scrutiny as part of the probe.

Indonesian investigators have named Nadiem Makarim, a former education minister and co-founder of the ride-hailing firm Gojek, as a suspect in an alleged corruption case involving improper laptop procurement. Makarim is accused of misusing his authority to facilitate the procurement of Google's Chromebook laptops for his ministry and students, causing significant financial losses to the state.

According to investigator Nurcahyo Jungkung Madyo, Makarim has been detained for a 20-day investigative period. The investigation revealed that Makarim had orchestrated a procurement decree in 2021, specifying the Chromebook model following multiple meetings with Google representatives. Google's response to these allegations remains pending.

The attorney general's office recently conducted a raid at GoTo Gojek Tokopedia in search of evidence related to the case. Makarim, who served as education minister from 2019 to 2024, had left Gojek after his ministerial appointment. The case continues to develop as Indonesia's largest tech company, born from a merger between Gojek and Tokopedia, finds itself tangled in the investigation.