Central Java High Prosecutor's Office Denies Summoning Police Over Free Nutritious Meal Programme

The Central Java High Prosecutor’s Office has responded to the issuance of a rule by the Central Java Regional Police instructing personnel not to comply with prosecutor’s office summonses regarding the management of the Nutrition Fulfilment Service Unit (SPPG) in the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) programme. Head of Public Relations for the Central Java High Prosecutor’s Office, Arfan Triono, stated that his office is currently compiling data on SPPG activities. He denied that his office had issued any summons for examination against police personnel. ‘We at the prosecutor’s office have not issued any summons for examination. Based on the assignment letter, we are conducting on-site data and information collection at all SPPGs in Central Java, not just those belonging to the police,’ he said in Semarang City, Central Java, on Thursday. Arfan said he did not mind if the Central Java Police issued an order for its personnel not to comply with prosecutor’s office summonses regarding SPPG inspections. ‘That is fine. But to be clear, from our side, there has been no summons or examination. What we are doing is data collection, gathering data and information on the spot. There is no summoning,’ he stated. According to Arfan, the data collection is a directive from the central government and follows the investigation into an alleged corruption case at the National Nutrition Agency (BGN). ‘So that similar cases do not occur in the regions,’ he said. Arfan explained that the data collection on SPPGs in Central Java is being carried out by the district prosecutor’s offices. The data and information being gathered relate to SPPG activities, including the procurement of goods or products. ‘But it is still in progress. There are many SPPGs,’ he said. He noted that each district prosecutor’s office has so far examined only around a dozen SPPGs. The results of the data and information collection will be submitted to the leadership for analysis, after which further steps or actions will be formulated. The Central Java Police had previously instructed its personnel not to comply with prosecutor’s office summonses for examination or questioning regarding the management of SPPGs in the MBG programme. The police stated that if an examination is unavoidable, it must be conducted at the respective district police headquarters. The instruction circulated via a WhatsApp message, issued by the Subdivision Head of Internal Security of the Central Java Police’s Profession and Internal Affairs Division, and was addressed to heads of profession and internal affairs and police personnel. The edict was also copied to the Head of Profession and Internal Affairs and other key officials within the division.