BGN Chief Nanik Deyang Responds to Sony Sonjaya's Justice Collaborator Bid in MBG Case

National Nutrition Agency (BGN) head Nanik S Deyang has reacted cautiously to former Deputy Head of BGN Sony Sanjaya’s request to become a justice collaborator in the alleged corruption case over the management of the Free Nutritious Meals programme. When asked for her reaction to Sony’s move, Nanik questioned whether the application had even been accepted by the Attorney General’s Office. ‘Has it been accepted by the prosecutors? Ask first,’ Nanik said when met at the Coordinating Ministry for Food office in Central Jakarta on Thursday (11/6). Nanik declined to comment further. When questioned, she only gave a brief answer whilst walking to her car. She also urged that details regarding Sony’s steps be asked directly to the Attorney General’s Office. ‘Ask the prosecutors,’ Nanik stated. The Attorney General’s Office confirmed it has received Sony’s justice collaborator application letter and is currently studying it. ‘The letter has been received and is being studied,’ said the Director of Investigations for the Junior Attorney General for Special Crimes, Syarief Sulaeman Nahdi, to reporters on Wednesday (10/6). Syarief said his office has not yet decided whether to accept or reject Sony’s justice collaborator application. He also mentioned there is no time limit for investigators in the review process for the justice collaborator application. Syarief only noted that his office would also consider the evidence obtained before deciding on Sony’s status. ‘There is no deadline, we study it first then check the evidence already obtained,’ he said. Even before the justice collaborator application status has been granted, Sony has already begun revealing alleged involvement of several prominent figures in the corruption case that has ensnared three BGN high-ranking officials, including former BGN head Dadan Hindayana. Through his lawyer, Krisna Murti, Sony claimed to have submitted 26 names involved in the alleged Free Nutritious Meals corruption case. Krisna stated that dozens of these prominent names have also been recorded in the official examination report by investigators from the Junior Attorney General for Special Crimes. ‘We have conveyed this to investigators, it is already in the examination report,’ he told reporters on Wednesday. Nevertheless, Krisna did not disclose further details on the identities of those allegedly involved in the Free Nutritious Meals corruption case. He merely stated that those involved came from various institutions at the executive, judicial, and legislative levels. Furthermore, Krisna mentioned the number Sony conveyed to investigators is only partial. He indicated it is possible the list of names could grow in subsequent examinations. ‘Essentially from the executive, legislative, and judicial branches. The most are from the legislative. The total number of names is 26, likely to increase, that is only a portion,’ he said. Krisna Murti also claimed his client was pressured by prominent figures in the case. Sony, according to Krisna, was contacted by numerous figures within executive, legislative, and judicial circles regarding the Free Nutritious Meals programme. ‘Executive, legislative, and judicial. Those individuals, the 26 names allegedly involved, all originate from there,’ he stated. He emphasised that all communication evidence is clearly recorded on Sony’s mobile phone, which has now been seized by investigators. Consequently, Krisna urged that these conversation records be made public. ‘All the evidence is on the phone, all the chat evidence is on the mobile phone currently seized by investigators. For example, person A’s communications with my client, person B as well, all of it. So all the evidence is on my client’s phone and it must be opened,’ he asserted. During the process, Krisna stated Sony experienced pressure, both directly and because of the influence of the figures contacting him. He claimed this factor forced his client to give approval for the opening of Nutrition Fulfilment Service Units. ‘Even if they did not use pressure, pressuring could also occur. But assuming there was no pressure, the influence alone was enough to compel action,’ he explained. ‘Mr Sony knows who these people are. Meaning, just by their influence, Mr Sony already understands the implications. The elements are already there,’ he added.