BGN Responds to MPs' Astonishment Over 2025 Unqualified Opinion: BPK Best Placed to Answer
Deputy Head of the National Nutrition Agency (BGN) Agustina Arumsari has responded to criticism from a number of House of Representatives (DPR) members regarding the unqualified opinion (WTP) awarded to the BGN for its 2025 financial statements. Agustina said the Audit Board (BPK) is the party best placed to answer the legislators’ puzzlement.
“For example, regarding the WTP, the most appropriate party to answer is indeed the BPK, because it is the BPK that issues the opinion. But since I am also an accountant, I will answer that a WTP is not a matter of right or wrong,” Agustina said during a meeting with Commission IX of the DPR at the parliament complex in Senayan, Jakarta, on Friday (17/7/2026).
She said the opinion means the presentation of the BGN’s financial statements has complied with standards. Nevertheless, she deferred to the BPK for an explanation of the WTP.
“But the presentation has complied with government accounting standards. Of course, the party best placed to answer is still the BPK,” she said.
In addition, Agustina acknowledged that the BPK had issued notes. Some of these, she said, had already been resolved by the BGN.
“Yes, there were notes, there were findings, and we have followed up on some of them. Others are still in the monitoring stage for follow-up because it is indeed a gradual process,” she said.
Even so, Agustina admitted she was also puzzled by the 2025 budget under the BGN’s previous leadership. In her view, the previous BGN administration should not have submitted a proposal for additional spending (ABT) when the entire initial budget had yet to be disbursed.
“This is precisely why we were somewhat puzzled — when the initial budget had not been absorbed, an ABT was already proposed in 2025. In the end, that budget was not absorbed either. Absorption was only 66 per cent. But again, I cannot answer for it because I was not there at the time,” she said.
Scrutiny from DPR members
Leadership and members of Commission IX of the DPR have criticised the unqualified opinion (WTP) obtained by the National Nutrition Agency (BGN) for its 2025 financial statements. They questioned how the WTP opinion could be consistent with the BGN’s budget absorption.
The first criticism came from Commission IX member Muazzim Akbar. He even alleged that the WTP obtained by the BGN in 2025 was fabricated.
“This BGN is truly extraordinary, so we need a serious discussion today. First, regarding the WTP that was mentioned earlier — average budget realisation was only 59 per cent. How can there be a WTP when budget realisation is only that much? Perhaps the WTP was engineered,” Muazzim said during the meeting with the BGN at Commission IX of the DPR in Senayan, Jakarta, on Friday (17/7/2026).
Further criticism came from fellow Commission IX member Netty Prasetiyani. She urged the BGN not to rest on the WTP it obtained in 2025.
“From the presentation earlier, I want to see that we are not merely satisfied with the unqualified opinion achieved by the BGN, but that we need confirmation of what the programme’s achievements have actually been in communities,” Netty said.
Notes for the BGN also came from Deputy Chair of Commission IX Yahya Zaini. He questioned the basis on which the WTP opinion was granted to the BGN.
“I want to ask: on what basis did the BGN receive this WTP?” Yahya snapped.
He was puzzled because the BGN’s budget absorption was only 60 per cent. Yahya also highlighted the BGN’s failure to include the notes from the BPK.
“Meanwhile, absorption was only 60 per cent and there are many findings that have become problems, such as the procurement of electric motorcycles and so forth,” Yahya said.