Foundation Head Named New Suspect as Free Nutritious Meal Corruption Scandal Widens

The Attorney General’s Office (Kejagung) has expanded its investigation into the alleged corruption scandal surrounding the governance of the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) programme. The latest development sees Glory Harimas Sihombing (GHS), Chair of the Indonesia Food Security Review Foundation, named as a new suspect.

Director of Investigations at the Junior Attorney General’s Office for Special Crimes, Syarief Sulaeman Nahdi, stated that GHS was named a suspect based on the examination of witnesses and two pieces of evidence. He explained that GHS is suspected of being involved in the arrangement and management of Service Points for Nutritional Fulfilment (SPPG) kitchens.

This role was allegedly not independent but linked to a request from the former Head of the National Nutrition Agency (BGN), Dadan Hindayana, to find SPPG partners. Dadan then allegedly provided GHS with access to SPPG kitchen points. Subsequently, the foundation led by GHS reportedly sold these SPPG kitchen points to parties interested in building kitchens in those locations.

Furthermore, GHS is also accused of gaining access to communicate with a verification team appointed by Dadan Hindayana. This access was allegedly used to manage the rollback of SPPG statuses under the foundation’s purview.

With this latest arrest, the total number of suspects in the MBG governance corruption case has risen to six. The other five suspects are former BGN Head Dadan Hindayana, former BGN Deputy Head Sony Sonjaya, former BGN Deputy Head Lodewyk Pusung, Dadan’s associate Asep Yusuf Somantri, and PT Yasa Artha Trimanunggal (PT YAT) Commissioner Andri Mulyono, who was a provider of electric motorcycles for the BGN. Investigators are also probing alleged mark-ups in the procurement of electric motorcycles, shoes, tablets, and televisions for the programme.