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| Public reaction grows over legal demands against Nadiem Makarim as Metta Dharmasaputra warns the case could affect Indonesia’s young innovators and startup ecosystem. |
Public debate surrounding legal demands against Nadiem Makarim intensified Friday after Metta Dharmasaputra shared his views through a Facebook post, saying the case had sparked anger among many young Indonesians.
In the post, Metta said prosecutors’ demands against Nadiem could reportedly reach 27 years in prison due to fines and compensation claims totaling Rp 5.7 trillion, an amount he described as impossible to pay.
Metta described Nadiem as a young figure who inspired millions of Indonesians through the creation of Gojek. He said the company helped support millions of livelihoods while transforming public transportation services across the country.
He also highlighted Nadiem’s international recognition over the years. Time magazine once named him among 100 leaders shaping the future, while Bloomberg listed him as one of the world’s most influential innovators.
Metta linked Nadiem’s rise to the wave of Indonesian technology startup founders who emerged in the early 2000s. He mentioned figures such as Tokopedia founder William Tanuwijaya and Bukalapak founder Achmad Zaky as part of the country’s growing digital innovation movement.
The post also recalled Nadiem’s appointment to President Joko Widodo’s cabinet, where he was tasked with accelerating education digitalization during the Covid-19 pandemic.
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| Public reaction grows over legal demands against Nadiem Makarim as Metta Dharmasaputra warns the case could affect Indonesia’s young innovators and startup ecosystem. |
According to Metta, the situation forced the government to move quickly to ensure the national education system could continue operating amid the global health crisis.
He said the recruitment of young professionals and outside consultants was part of efforts to address the enormous challenges facing Indonesia’s education sector at the time.
“Prosecutors must understand that Indonesia has the fourth-largest education system in the world,” Metta wrote, referring to Nadiem’s statement during court proceedings when questioned about involving experts from outside the ministry.
Metta concluded by expressing concern that the case could discourage innovation among Indonesia’s younger generation. He warned that the long-term impact on the country’s startup and technology ecosystem should not be ignored.
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