International
• 2 days ago• Lim_Rothanaksambath
Former Indonesian Minister and Gojek Co-Founder Sentenced to 10 Years for Corruption
PHNOM PENH, July 1, 2026 – Indonesia's Anti-Corruption Court has sentenced former Education Minister and Gojek co-founder Nadiem Makarim to 10 years in prison after finding him guilty of corruption related to the procurement of Google Chromebooks for schools during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to reports by CNA and Reuters.
The Jakarta court ruled that the procurement project caused the state to lose approximately US$120 million. In addition to the prison term, the court ordered Nadiem to pay a fine of 1 billion rupiah (approximately US$55,850) and restitution of 809 billion rupiah, or face additional imprisonment.
Prosecutors had initially sought an 18-year sentence and a fine of 5.6 trillion rupiah. They alleged that the Chromebook purchase was linked to Google's investment in Gojek and caused significant financial losses to the government.
Nadiem, 41, who served as Education Minister from 2019 to 2024, has denied all charges. He claimed that the Chromebook procurement actually saved state funds and described the case as "political." His legal team has announced they will appeal the verdict.
During his defence, Nadiem argued that expert witnesses found no evidence of state losses, legal violations, personal enrichment, or criminal intent. He warned that the case could discourage qualified individuals from entering public service.
Google was not charged in the case and has denied any wrongdoing. GoTo Group, formed through the merger of Gojek and Tokopedia in 2021, stated that Nadiem has had no decision-making role in the company since he resigned in 2019 to join President Joko Widodo's cabinet.
Before entering politics, Nadiem co-founded Gojek in 2010, transforming it from a small motorcycle taxi-hailing centre into one of Southeast Asia's leading technology companies. During his tenure as Education Minister, he introduced major reforms, including a flexible national curriculum and policies promoting inclusive education.
Source: Aljazeera
Reported by The Khmer Daily Network
The Jakarta court ruled that the procurement project caused the state to lose approximately US$120 million. In addition to the prison term, the court ordered Nadiem to pay a fine of 1 billion rupiah (approximately US$55,850) and restitution of 809 billion rupiah, or face additional imprisonment.
Prosecutors had initially sought an 18-year sentence and a fine of 5.6 trillion rupiah. They alleged that the Chromebook purchase was linked to Google's investment in Gojek and caused significant financial losses to the government.
Nadiem, 41, who served as Education Minister from 2019 to 2024, has denied all charges. He claimed that the Chromebook procurement actually saved state funds and described the case as "political." His legal team has announced they will appeal the verdict.
During his defence, Nadiem argued that expert witnesses found no evidence of state losses, legal violations, personal enrichment, or criminal intent. He warned that the case could discourage qualified individuals from entering public service.
Google was not charged in the case and has denied any wrongdoing. GoTo Group, formed through the merger of Gojek and Tokopedia in 2021, stated that Nadiem has had no decision-making role in the company since he resigned in 2019 to join President Joko Widodo's cabinet.
Before entering politics, Nadiem co-founded Gojek in 2010, transforming it from a small motorcycle taxi-hailing centre into one of Southeast Asia's leading technology companies. During his tenure as Education Minister, he introduced major reforms, including a flexible national curriculum and policies promoting inclusive education.
Source: Aljazeera
Reported by The Khmer Daily Network