Indonesian authorities have detained Nadiem Makarim, the former Education Minister and co-founder of the popular ride-hailing company Gojek, on corruption charges.
The detention was announced on Thursday as part of an investigation into a controversial procurement deal involving Google’s Chromebook laptops.
Makarim served as Indonesia’s Education Minister from 2019 to 2024. He is accused of abusing his position by approving a laptop procurement deal that allegedly favored Google’s Chromebook laptops unfairly.
Investigators say this caused the government a loss of approximately 1.98 trillion rupiah (about $121.85 million).
Officials from the attorney general’s office revealed that Makarim issued a 2021 government decree specifying procurement requirements that matched only the Chromebook, excluding other potential options.
They also disclosed that he met with Google Indonesia representatives six times before the procurement decision was made.
Makarim denies the accusations, stating, “I did not do anything. God will protect me, the truth will come out.” His lawyer has not yet commented publicly.
The investigation will continue over the next 20 days, during which Makarim will remain in detention.
Earlier this year, law enforcement also raided the offices of GoTo Gojek Tokopedia, Indonesia’s largest tech conglomerate formed by the merger of Gojek and e-commerce company Tokopedia, searching for related evidence. Makarim stepped down from his Gojek role upon becoming minister in 2019.
Google Indonesia declined to comment on the case but clarified that it transacts with government agencies through authorized partners and resellers, rather than directly.
This case highlights ongoing efforts by Indonesian authorities to fight corruption, especially involving high-profile figures and major government contracts.
