JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — The co-founder of Indonesia's payments platform and ride hailing company Gojek was arrested Thursday as part of an investigation into an alleged $115 million corruption scandal linked to the government's procurement of Google Chromebook laptops for schools.
Nadiem Anwar Makarim, 41, who was education, culture, research and technology minister at the time of the alleged offenses, was arrested after attending an interview at the Attorney General’s Office.
He was questioned about the investigation, which is focused on his supervisory role as education minister during the transition to remote learning in schools when classrooms were forced to shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Television images showed him being led from the prosecutor’s office in handcuffs and wearing a detainee red vest.
“I didn’t do anything, the truth will come out,” Makarim told a crowd before being placed into a detention vehicle. “God will reveal the truth! For me, throughout my life, integrity is number one, honesty is number one. May God protect me.”
Makarim co-founded Gojek in 2015 and stayed with the company until 2019, when he stepped down from his role to join then-President Joko Widodo’s cabinet.
The laptop procurement project initiated under the government's “digitalization of schools” policy aimed to equip schools in remote areas with digital devices and infrastructure.
Nurcahyo Jungkung Madyo, the director of investigation at the Attorney General’s Office, said the project was worth 9.3 trillion rupiah ($563 million), and the corruption case is believed to have cost the state around 1.9 trillion ($115 million).
Investigators allege that Makarim, who was education minister between 2019 and 2024, favored the Google-based laptop over other similar devices despite the ministry’s research team not recommending the product, citing its ineffectiveness in regions lacking internet access.
Makarim, who has claimed that the Chromebook program was a success, with 97% of more than 1 million laptops procured during his term delivered to 77,000 schools by 2023, was apprehended with three other suspects, including a former education ministry staffer and two former tech company officials.
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Associated Press writer Edna Tarigan in Jakarta contributed to this report.
FILE- A woman holds a Gojek helmet after arriving at a station in Jakarta, Indonesia, May 17, 2021. (AP Photo/Achmad Ibrahim, File)
FILE - Education and Culture Minister Nadiem Makarim smiles during the swearing-in ceremony of the new cabinet at Merdeka Palace in Jakarta, Indonesia, Oct. 23, 2019. (AP Photo/Achmad Ibrahim, File)
FILE - Education and Culture Minister Nadiem Makarim buttons his suit, as he prepares to pose for a group photo with other cabinet ministers after the swearing-in ceremony of the new cabinet at Merdeka Palace in Jakarta, Indonesia, Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2019. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara, File)
LIVERPOOL, England (AP) — Dominik Szoboszlai was hero and villain for Liverpool as the home side broke down a spirited Barnsley 4-1 on Monday to set up a FA Cup fourth round tie against Premier League rival Brighton.
The Hungarian midfielder gave Liverpool the lead after eight minutes when he silenced the travelling fans with a stunning 30-meter strike.
Jeremie Frimpong made it 2-0 when he cut in from the right and fired home a fierce left-foot shot.
But Szoboszlai offered Barnsley a way back into the game five minutes before halftime with a calamitous mistake that will feature in blooper reels for years to come.
His attempted backheel six meters in front of his own goal was poorly planned and shockingly executed and the chasing Adam Phillips only had to tap the ball into the empty net to make it 2-1.
“Sorry to the team,” Szoboszlai told broadcaster TNT Sports. “I made it hard for us with an easy mistake. Football happens and we move on.”
The midfielder was also lucky not to give away a penalty early in the second half as Barnsley made a mockery of its League 1 status.
The Yorkshire club took the game to its more storied rival and with the match still in the balance Liverpool coach Arne Slot was forced to call on his big guns, bringing on Florian Wirtz, Hugo Ekitiké and Ibrahima Konate after an hour.
However, much of the action continued to revolve around Szoboszlai.
He cleared a Phillips shot off the line at one end and then set up Wirtz moments later only to see him blaze the ball over the bar.
Wirtz made amends six minutes from time when, with the visitor's energy levels dropping, he took an Ekitiké pass and curled a lovely shot into the far corner.
Ekitiké made it 4-1 in stoppage time when he tapped home a Wirtz cross.
It was an unfortunate end for a visiting team that acquitted itself admirably against a team 57 places above it in the league pyramid.
“I thought we were outstanding,” Barnsley manager Conor Hourihane said. “We got a bit tired at the end but we started so well. They brought on top player after top player.
“I wanted the lads to put in a performance that they could come away from and be immensely proud of and they can certainly do that."
Although the scoreline flattered the home side the result was Liverpool's 11th straight game without defeat and a sign of its ability to grind out results. Liverpool has not lost since November to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League.
Brighton will come to Anfield on the weekend of Feb. 14.
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Barnsley's Corey O'Keeffe, left, and -mu73- fight for the ball during the FA Cup third round soccer match between Liverpool and Barnsley in Liverpool, England, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Jon Super)
Barnsley's Vimal Yoganathan guards Liverpool's Dominik Szoboszlai during the FA Cup third round soccer match between Liverpool and Barnsley in Liverpool, England, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Jon Super)
Liverpool's Jeremie Frimpong celebrates after scoring during the FA Cup third round soccer match between Liverpool and Barnsley in Liverpool, England, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Jon Super)
Barnsley's Adam Phillips celebrates after scoring during the FA Cup third round soccer match between Liverpool and Barnsley in Liverpool, England, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Jon Super)
Liverpool's Dominik Szoboszlai reacts after scoring during the FA Cup third round soccer match between Liverpool and Barnsley in Liverpool, England, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Jon Super)
