Government rules out amnesty talks for Nadiem Makarim

Jakarta (ANTARA) - The government has held no discussions on a potential presidential amnesty for former Education Minister Nadiem Makarim, following his recent 10-year prison sentence for corruption.

Coordinating Minister for Law, Human Rights, Immigration and Corrections Yusril Ihza Mahendra clarified that the government currently intends to respect the ongoing legal process, noting that no formal proposals has been submitted to the State Palace.

"There have been no discussions or proposals at all. Amnesty, abolition and rehabilitation are completely the constitutional prerogatives of the President," Yusril told reporters in Depok, West Java, Thursday.

His remarks came in response to public speculation questioning whether President Prabowo Subianto would intervene in Nadiem’s case, drawing comparisons to a previous legal abolition granted to former Trade Minister Thomas Trikasih Lembong.

Yusril dismissed the comparisons, emphasizing that Nadiem’s case is still moving through the judicial process. Although the court of first instance has handed down its verdict, both the prosecution and the defense retain the right to pursue further legal remedies, including appeals.

He noted that during the trial, both the prosecution and the defense team were given equal opportunities to present evidence and witnesses to substantiate their respective arguments before the panel of judges.

"The prosecution did not make much effort to shape public opinions. Meanwhile, from Mr. Nadiem's side, through social media or mass media, lots of opinions were formed," Yusril remarked.

The speculation follows a landmark ruling by a panel of judges that found the tech entrepreneur-turned-politician guilty of corruption tied to a massive school technology procurement program.

The court found Nadiem guilty of graft in the procurement of Chromebook laptops and Chrome Device Management (CDM) systems at the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research and Technology during the 2019–2022 fiscal period.

In addition to the prison term, the panel of judges sentenced him to pay a fine of Rp1 billion (approximately US$55,865), with a subsidiary sentence of 190 days in prison, and ordered him to pay restitution worth Rp809.59 billion (US$45.22 million), subsidiary to an additional five years of imprisonment.

The panel of judges concluded that Nadiem's actions resulted in state financial losses totaling Rp1.56 trillion (US$87.15 million).

Related news: Indonesian court sentences Nadiem Makarim to 10 years in graft case

Translator: Agatha Olivia Victoria, Yashinta Difa

Editor: M Razi Rahman

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