Ex-Gojek execs, founders react to Nadiem Makarim corruption case

Image credit: Timmy Loen

A number of tech leaders and founders in Indonesia have been reacting to the news that Nadiem Makarim, Gojek co-founder and former Indonesian minister, has been named a suspect in an alleged corruption case involving the procurement of Chromebook laptops.

The news has shocked Indonesia’s tech community, as Makarim is one of the country’s most prominent startup figures and a symbol of its digital economy rise. GoTo Group, the parent company of Gojek, clarified that Makarim holds no role in the company after departing in 2019 to become minister of education.

Most of the reactions so far seem supportive of Makarim, particularly those who once worked with him at Gojek.

Michaelangelo Moran, who co-founded the company with Makarim, said in an Instagram post, “We cannot stay silent in the face of injustice.” He believes Makarim is innocent: He is “a man whose core values stand firmly against everything corruption represents.”

In the corruption case, investigators said Makarim held several meetings with Google Indonesia that led to the decision to use Chrome OS in the ministry’s technology procurement project.

Prosecutors allege Makarim misused his authority to benefit himself or a company, violating Indonesia’s anti-corruption laws.

Makarim is now being held at the Salemba Detention Center, a branch of the South Jakarta District Prosecutor’s Office.

Four other individuals – a former special staff member, a tech consultant, a director general, and a director at the education ministry – have also been named suspects in the case.

In line with Moran, another ex-Gojek executive Rohan Monga believes Makarim is innocent. In three LinkedIn posts, he included the hashtag #freenadiem.

“Nadiem Makarim has committed no crime,” Monga wrote.

He said he’s known Makarim for “more than half of his life” and that “no misappropriated funds will have ever touched his bank account.” Monga was chief operating officer and CEO of international at Gojek from 2015 to 2018 and was also a former CEO of edtech firm Zenius.

“For this to be happening, it’s clear that politics are at play, that institutions are unable to handle rapid purposeful change, preferring the comforts of the status quo,” he added.

Meanwhile, some argue that Makarim’s decision to choose Chromebooks is questionable, saying they don’t meet the needs of Indonesian students—especially those in rural areas with poor internet connections. Critics note that Chromebooks rely heavily on the internet for their cloud-based functionality.