Former Education, Culture, Research and Technology Minister Nadiem Makarim made a rare public appearance on Tuesday, June 10, 2025 accompanied by high-profile lawyer Hotman Paris Hutapea to address mounting scrutiny over an alleged corruption case involving the procurement of Chromebook laptops during his tenure at the ministry.

“Nadiem is healthy and has been in Jakarta since yesterday. How can he be on a wanted list if he’s clearly present and willing to cooperate?” Hotman told reporters during a press conference at the Dharmawangsa Hotel in South Jakarta early Tuesday.

The former minister held a seeking to quell speculation that he had become a fugitive in a corruption probe currently being investigated by the Attorney General’s Office (AGO).

Hotman emphasized that the press conference was held to demonstrate Nadiem’s willingness to cooperate with law enforcement, particularly with the Office of Junior Attorney General for Special Crimes (Jampidsus), which is leading the investigation into alleged irregularities in the procurement process for educational technology equipment.

“This press conference is to assure the public that Nadiem respects the AGO’s authority, is prepared to clarify matters at any time, and denies any suggestion that he is evading the law,” Hotman said.

According to Hotman, Nadiem had no direct involvement with three former special staffers who are reportedly under scrutiny in the case: Fiona Handayani (FH), Jurist Tan (JT), and Ibrahim Arief (IA).

“Those appointments were handled by an official committee. Nadiem had no role in the procurement process or in the staff’s actions,” he said.

Nadiem’s co-counsel, Mohamad Ali Nurdin, further clarified there had been no formal summons or search warrant issued against his client. “There has been no official action from investigators directed at pakNadiem,” Ali said.

Alleged corruption scheme

The AGO is currently probing allegations of collusion and misuse of authority in the procurement of Chromebook laptops for public schools between 2019 and 2022. The devices were intended to support digital education initiatives, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Previously, AGO spokesman Harli Siregar, said investigators are examining suspicions that several parties conspired to manipulate a technical review process, steering recommendations toward the use of Chrome OS-based laptops, despite internal findings deeming them ineffective.

“The 2019 pilot project involving 1,000 Chromebook units showed the devices were unsuitable due to Indonesia’s uneven internet infrastructure,” Harli said.

Despite this, a revised technical study was allegedly introduced in 2020, reversing the earlier recommendation for Windows-based systems in favor of Chromebooks. Investigators believe this shift may have been orchestrated to benefit certain vendors.

Nadiem, widely known as the founder of tech giant Gojek and often regarded as a reform-minded figure, has come under increasing pressure as the Chromebook case unfolds.

His appearance alongside Hotman Paris a lawyer renowned for representing high-profile clientssignaled a serious legal defense strategy in anticipation of potential charges.

“I am here today as the legal representative of Nadiem,” Hotman said. “He is fully committed to clarifying this matter transparently.”

While the AGO has not named Nadiem as a suspect, the investigation appears to be widening, with more ministry officials and vendors likely to be questioned in the coming weeks.

Nadiem’s legal team has urged the public and media to avoid drawing premature conclusions and to respect the presumption of innocence until the legal process unfolds.