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View all search resultsAnalysis: The rise and fall of Nadiem Makarim
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Culture and Education Minister Nadiem Makarim after the announcement of Indonesia Onward Cabinet on Wednesday.. (JP/Seto Wardhana)
Once considered a symbol of Indonesia's future, Nadiem Makarim has experienced a dramatic fall from grace.
The Attorney General’s Office (AGO) recently alleged he presided over losses amounting to Rp 1.8 trillion (US$110 million) during his tenure as education, culture, research, and technology minister from 2019 to 2024.
The 41-year-old Ivy League graduate comes from a prominent family. His father, Nono Anwar Makarim, is a renowned anti-corruption lawyer, while his maternal grandfather had been an independence fighter. The indictment has severely damaged the family's reputation.
Before his political career, Nadiem rose to prominence as the founder of the Gojek application, Indonesia's first "unicorn" start-up and a major innovation of the 2010s. He leveraged the digital revolution to transform local motorcycle services into an integrated mobile platform for ride-hailing and food delivery.
When he left his role as Gojek CEO in 2019 to join former president Joko “Jokowi” Widodo's cabinet, he brought his digitalization-focused mindset to reform the education sector, despite having no prior experience. His digitalization-focused mindset is ironically now at the heart of the allegations.
Nadiem is one of several former ministers from the previous administration currently facing corruption allegations. The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) said on Wednesday it was targeting the “top leadership” of the Religious Affairs Ministry in its investigations into alleged corruption over the haj pilgrimage 2023–2024 quota.
The illegal flow of money from the sale and purchase of quotas is suspected to have benefited various intermediaries, including officials at the highest level.
