The National Nutrition Agency (BGN) suspects that the transfer of\nbudget allocations for the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) programme to\nseveral problematic kitchen accounts may involve more than just alleged\ncriminal corruption. The Head of BGN, Sudaryono, revealed that these\npractices were also allegedly carried out to inflate budget realisation\nor absorption figures to make them appear higher.<\/p>\n
According to Sudarylaro, these allegations are currently being\ninvestigated alongside law enforcement agencies. Beyond the possibility\nof criminal elements, the BGN is also exploring the possibility that\nfunds were sent to numerous accounts specifically to make the agency\u2019s\nbudget absorption appear more significant. \u201cWe suspect\u2014and this is\nmerely a suspicion, as proof lies with law enforcement\u2014that there is a\nreason why funds were sent to accounts where kitchens have duplicate\naccounts or where kitchens are not yet operational. We suspect certain\nformer officials within the BGN may have orchestrated this. The\ninvestigation into the motivation is ongoing,\u201d Sudaryono stated during a\npress conference at the BGN Office in Jakarta on Friday.<\/p>\n
He explained that two primary motives are being investigated: first,\nthe presence of \u2018mens rea\u2019 or criminal intent to commit theft; and\nsecond, an attempt to artificially enhance the BGN\u2019s budget absorption\nperformance. \u201cThe criminal intent might be to steal. Alternatively, it\ncould simply be an attempt to distribute funds across many accounts to\nmake the absorption rate appear high, as high absorption is often viewed\nas a sign of good institutional performance. We are investigating this,\nand if there are indications of criminal intent to embezzle, we will\nleave it to the law enforcement agencies,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
These suspicions emerged after the BGN conducted an audit of\nthousands of virtual accounts (VA) belonging to Nutrition Fulfilment\nService Units (SPPG), or MBG kitchens, across Indonesia. \u201cAfter\ninspecting thousands of accounts, we found anomalies. We discovered that\nfunds transferred from the central office to kitchen accounts via\nvirtual accounts were actually being sent to accounts for kitchens that\nare not yet operational, or where a single kitchen holds multiple\nvirtual accounts,\u201d Sudundaryono explained.<\/p>\n
Verification results revealed 414 kitchens with duplicate or inactive\naccounts. Following these findings, the BGN has returned state funds\namounting to Rp311,246,295,184 to the state treasury. The largest\nportion of the returned funds came from Bank Rakyat Indonesia (BRI)\naccounts, totaling Rp137.5 billion from 121 units, followed by Bank\nNegara Indonesia (BNI) with Rp74 billion from 117 units. Bank Mandiri\naccounts contributed Rp71.6 billion from 129 units, while Bank Syariah\nIndonesia (BSI) and Bank Tabungan Negara (BTN) returned Rp12.9 billion\nand Rp15.3 billion, respectively.<\/p>\n
Sudaryono emphasised that the audit is ongoing and the findings have\nbeen reported to the Attorney General\u2019s Office to determine if criminal\nelements exist. \u201cNo one, whether it be kitchen partners, third parties,\nor even officials within the National Nutrition Agency, is above the\nlaw. We are reporting everything to the law enforcement authorities,\u201d he\nasserted.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/sudaryono-uncovers-ghost-kitchens-in-free-nutritious-meal-programme-aimed-at-embezzling-state-funds-1785495358", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }