Hasto of PDIP Expresses Concern Over MBG Corruption Case: Could Have Been Prevented

The Secretary General of PDI Perjuangan, Hasto Kristiyanto, has expressed profound concern regarding the alleged corruption in the governance of the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) programme, a case that has named three former leaders of the National Nutrition Agency as suspects. Hasto stated that his party supports the legal process currently being conducted by the Attorney General’s Office (Kejagung).

“We are very, very concerned and we provide our support for all law enforcement efforts,” said Hasto after attending a film screening in Central Jakarta on Sunday. He noted that there had been critical voices from the public regarding the MBG programme from the very beginning. According to him, had law enforcement agencies listened to those voices, the corruption case could have been prevented.

He added that PDI Perpriman had issued instructions from the outset prohibiting all party members from being involved in any commercialisation of programmes intended for the people. “Therefore, from PDI Perjuangan, when we saw that something was not right, we issued instructions forbidding all PDI Perjuangan cadres from being involved in any commercialisation of programmes meant for the public,” he said.

Previously, the Attorney General’s Office named the former Head of the National Nutrition Agency (BGN), Dadan Hindayana, along with former Deputy Heads Sony Sonjaya and Lodewyk Pusung, as suspects in the MBG programme governance corruption case.

Syarief Sulaeman Nahdi, Director of Investigation at the Attorney General’s Office for Special Crimes, explained that the MBG programme should have been managed by foundations affiliated with recipient schools. However, in practice, many Food Supply Implementation Units (SPPG) were appointed due to their affiliations with high-ranking BGN officials. Syarief noted that these foundations actually did not meet the requirements to become SPPG partners. The three suspects also allegedly engaged in price mark-ups during procurement, leading to losses that undermined the programme’s operational implementation. The irregular procurement included 21,801 electric motorcycles valued at IDR 1.03 trillion, 32,000 pairs of shoes, 31,994 tablets, and 5,400 75-inch televisions.