'Political Revenge'? Gojek's Co-Founder Nadiem Makarim Verdict Ignites Online Backlash

Former Indonesian education minister and Gojek co-founder Nadiem Makarim has been sentenced to 10 years in prison after a Jakarta court found him guilty of corruption linked to the procurement of Chromebook laptops for schools during the COVID-19 pandemic.

However, the ruling sparked widespread backlash among Indonesian netizens, with many alleging that the verdict was politically motivated, criticising the country's judicial system, and expressing support for Makarim.

A large group of Gojek drivers also gathered outside the Jakarta Corruption Court on 30 June 2026, singing Indonesia's national anthem and chanting "Free Nadiem!" as Makarim arrived to hear the verdict in his corruption trial.

In addition to the jail sentence, he was fined 1 billion rupiah and ordered to repay about 800 billion rupiah (around S$57.7 million) or face an additional 5 years in prison if the amount is not paid.

Judges found that Makarim abused his authority by steering the education ministry towards purchasing Google's Chromebook devices, despite concerns over their suitability and allegations of a conflict of interest stemming from Google's investment in Gojek.

The court ruled that the procurement caused state losses of around S$155 million.

Makarim has denied any wrongdoing, maintaining that the procurement process followed government procedures and arguing that the programme ultimately saved public funds.

He described the ruling as unjust and said he intends to appeal.

Before the verdict, Makarim told Indonesian legal commentator Refly Harun that the Education Ministry had considered both Windows laptops and Chromebooks, arguing that Chromebooks were significantly cheaper due to lower hardware, software and device management costs.