Jakarta, ThedailyID — Former Indonesian Education Minister Nadiem Makarim reacted after prosecutors demanded an 18-year prison sentence against him in an alleged corruption case.
Nadiem questioned the severity of the sentence and compared it to punishments handed to terrorism convicts in Indonesia.
“This sentence demand is even heavier than some terrorism cases,” Nadiem said after attending a court hearing in Jakarta on Tuesday.
The former minister claimed the prosecution’s demand felt excessive and insisted he had never intended to harm the country or misuse state funds.
Meanwhile, prosecutors argued that Nadiem played a significant role in the alleged corruption scheme linked to the procurement of educational technology projects during his tenure.
The case has drawn major public attention because Nadiem previously gained popularity through education reform programs and his leadership at GoTo before entering government.
According to prosecutors, the alleged corruption caused substantial state financial losses. They also accused Nadiem of abusing authority in the project procurement process.
Nadiem’s legal team denied the accusations and stated they would continue challenging the prosecution’s claims during the trial process.
The defense also argued that the sentence demand appeared disproportionate compared to other high-profile corruption and terrorism cases handled in Indonesia.
Political observers said the comparison quickly sparked debate online, especially regarding sentencing consistency in major criminal cases.
Supporters of Nadiem questioned the prosecutors’ approach, while critics argued corruption cases involving public funds deserve severe punishment.
The court is expected to continue hearings in the coming weeks before judges deliver a final verdict.
