Attorney General's Office Investigates Alleged Bribery in Free Nutritious Meal Programme Permits

The Attorney General’s Office (Kejagung) has confirmed it is investigating the alleged sale of permits for Nutrition Fulfilment Service Units (SPPG) carried out by suspects in the corruption case involving the management of the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) programme. The suspects include former leaders of the National Nutrition Agency (BGN).

Syarief Sulaeman Nahdi, Director of Investigation for the Junior Attorney General for Special Crimes, stated that there is suspected involvement from former BGN leadership in the granting of these SPPG permits. According to investigators, certain sites that were deemed ineligible were nonetheless approved as partners for the MBG programme.

“There are foundations that are actually ineligible to receive funds or act as BGN partners. However, the fact that they became partners suggests the involvement of each of these suspects,” he said during a press conference on Thursday (4/6).

He added that while the matter is still part of the ongoing investigation, it is clear that the roles involved relate to the specific authorities held by the suspects in their capacities as chairpersons and deputy heads of various divisions.

Consequently, Syarief stated that the alleged sale of SPPG permits by former Head of the BGN, Dadan Hindayana, and former Deputy Heads, Sony Sanjaya and Lodewyk Pusung, is being closely scrutinised. “This includes the sale of recommendations or the granting of permits in exchange for receiving something; this is one of the primary objects we are investigating,” he noted.

Previously, the Attorney General’s Office named the former Head of the National Nutrition Agency, Dadan Hindayana, along with former Deputy Heads Sony Sonjaya and Lodewyk Pusung, as suspects in the corruption case regarding the management of the MBG programme.

In this case, the Director of Investigation, Syarief Sulaeman Nahdi, explained that the MBG programme should ideally be managed by foundations affiliated with the recipient schools. However, in practice, many SPPGs were appointed because they had affiliations with high-ranking BGN officials. Syarief stated that these foundations essentially failed to meet the requirements to become SPPG partners.

“These foundations receive billions of rupiah in incentives every day, and these foundations are affiliated with, among others, DH, SS, and LP,” he concluded.