Indonesian technology group GoTo Gojek Tokopedia (GoTo) issued a statement clarifying that Nadiem Makarim, recently named a corruption suspect, is no longer involved in the company’s management or operations.

Nadiem, who co-founded ride hailing platform Gojek before its merger with e commerce firm Tokopedia, was detained over alleged graft in a Rp 9.3 trillion (US$574 million) Chromebook procurement programme during his tenure as education minister from 2019 to 2024.

GoTo stressed that Nadiem has had no formal role in the company since stepping down as President Commissioner in October 2019, shortly after joining the cabinet, the Jakarta Globe reported.

“He has not been a director, commissioner, or employee at Gojek, now known as Aplikasi Karya Anak Bangsa, since October 2019 and has had no involvement in GoTo’s operations or management since,”

said Ade Mulya, GoTo’s Director of Public Affairs and Communication.

Ade added that Nadiem is not a controlling shareholder of the company.

He emphasised that GoTo’s operations have never been connected to Nadiem’s ministerial duties, including the disputed laptop procurement project now under investigation.

“As a public company, GoTo is committed to upholding good corporate governance principles with accountability and transparency in line with Indonesian law,”

Ade said.

Prosecutors allege that the national digitalisation programme to provide 1.2 million Chromebooks to schools in remote and underdeveloped regions was flawed because the devices required stable internet access, which was unavailable in many of the targeted areas.

Investigators estimate that the mismatch resulted in state losses of Rp 1.98 trillion (US$122 million).

The case marks a stunning reversal for Nadiem, once celebrated as a symbol of Indonesia’s digital economy after building Gojek into the country’s first “decacorn”, valued at US$10 billion in 2019.

Featured image credit: Edited by Fintech News Indonesia, based on image by freepik