BGN Takes Firm Action Against SPPG Partner Pretending to Be Duped
Jakarta - The National Nutrition Agency (BGN) has taken firm action against an individual associated with the Satuan Pelayanan Pemenuhan Gizi (SPPG) service unit, who employed a feigned act of being duped while building a kitchen to serve the Free Nutritious Meals Programme (MBG).
‘There was a modus of pretending to build first, then pretending to be duped so that verification would be believed, but some were truly duped, like yesterday someone came to me, ’Sir, I was duped, my kitchen is ready, but I was duped, it didn’t enter the system’. Then, I asked, who duped you? If there is, report it, I want to know to distinguish the modus and the real one,’ said Deputy Head of BGN Sony Sanjaya in a BGN podcast in Jakarta, on Friday.
Sony explained that, if a prospective partner, when asked who the deceiver is, refuses to answer, it can be assumed they are simply using a modus operandi to obtain verification from BGN. ‘If they refuse to answer, or say, ’Yes, sir, that is the case,’ then clearly it is a modus operandi; but if the person was truly duped, the police have already received their report, the perpetrator is clear, and soon the report will reveal who the perpetrator is, because the loss amounts to at least Rp100 million for one person,’ he said.
Sony emphasised that BGN has now closed the registration for the SPPG as the quota to serve the MBG Programme has been reached. To date, there are more than 24,000 SPPG units across Indonesia.
‘Of the 24,000, not a single one has yet been paid by the APBN. In other countries, free meals in schools or government-built school meals infrastructure; in Indonesia, the public is keen to build to support the MBG Programme,’ said Sony.
‘We are confident that deviations are zero in terms of people taking money arbitrarily; it cannot happen because it is immediately visible (in the payment records). When there is a VA (virtual account), once money leaves the VA there is an approval from the partner and the facility owner,’ he added.
He explained that the head of SPPG may not approve proposals or budgets submitted by partners for the MBG Programme.
‘Maybe a partner proposes buying rice 260 kg, is it appropriate, what is the quality? Premium quality, okay, is it appropriate, what is the price? SPPG has a reference price or the fixed retail price determined by the Ministry of Trade. For example, adjusted to beneficiaries, proposed Rp17,000, but it does not match the HET (ceiling price) of Rp16,000, so they can replace the supplier,’ said Sony.
He emphasised that BGN does not tolerate any acts of corruption, collusion, and nepotism among partners, suppliers, or heads of SPPG because there are criminal provisions for misappropriation of state funds.