Dudung Abdurachman Denies Ownership of SPPG Kitchens for Free Nutritious Meal Programme, Challenges Accusers with Reward

Chief of the Presidential Staff (KSP) Dudung Abdurachman has denied rumours claiming he owns a Satuan Pelayanan Pemenuhan Gizi (SPPG) kitchen under the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) programme. ‘I inform and affirm, I do not at all own a kitchen for the programme. If anyone finds that Mr Dudung owns a kitchen, please check directly, I will give a reward later,’ said Dudung Abdurachman during a press conference at the KSP Office, Presidential Palace, Jakarta, on Wednesday. Dudung Abdurachman explained that his involvement was limited to facilitating the aspirations of pesantren caregivers, namely Abah Junaidi and Ustaz Iskandar, around six to seven months ago. The caregivers hoped that the 4,000 to 5,000 students in their community could benefit from the MBG programme. Based on these aspirations, Dudung introduced the pesantren administrators to the then-Head of the National Nutrition Agency (BGN), Dadan Hindayana. However, he stressed that he did not interfere in the subsequent administrative or technical processes, especially regarding the SPPG kitchen for the MBG programme. The issue of alleged SPPG kitchen ownership, reportedly involving several names, surfaced amid the case of former BGN leaders Dadan Hindayana, Lodewyk Pusung, and Sony Sanjaya, who were named suspects by the Attorney General’s Office in a corruption case related to MBG programme procurement. President Prabowo has appointed Nanik S. Deyang as the new Head of BGN, with Agustina Arumsari and Major General Trenggono filling the deputy head positions. Dudung Abdurachman suspected that his role as a mere communication bridge between the pesantren and the BGN was misinterpreted by certain parties. ‘It was only because I asked Mr Dadan to facilitate the pesantren that the issue arose, as if Mr Dudung owned the kitchen,’ he concluded.