Nadiem Makarim, the former Indonesian Education Minister and co-founder of Gojek, has been sentenced to 10 years in prison. An anti-graft court found the 41-year-old guilty of corruption, abuse of authority, and causing state losses.
The case stems from a decision to purchase more than a million Chromebooks for schools between 2020 and 2022 during the COVID-19 pandemic. This procurement process resulted in state losses estimated at around US$120 million.
The ruling has fueled concerns regarding judicial fairness in Indonesia, particularly among foreign investors who were already wary. The case is likely to intensify investor concerns about how Southeast Asia’s largest economy distinguishes graft from disputed business and policy decisions.