MBG Case Update: Sony Sonjaya's Confidant Named Suspect

The Attorney General’s Office (Kejagung) has named Asep Yusuf Somantri (AYS) as a new suspect in the corruption case concerning the management of the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) programme. Asep is a confidant of former Deputy Head of the National Nutrition Agency (BGN) Sony Sonjaya, who is already a suspect.

“On Saturday, 6 June 2026, the investigation team named one suspect, AYS, a private party,” said the Director of Investigation for the Junior Attorney General for Special Crimes, Syarief Sulaeman Nahdi, during a press conference on Thursday (11/6). Following his designation as a suspect, Asep Yusuf was immediately detained for 20 days at the Salemba Detention Centre branch of the South Jakarta District Prosecutor’s Office.

Syarief explained that in this case, Asep Yusuf was asked by Sony to find partners for the implementation of the MBG programme. Sony also violated regulations by giving Asep Yusuf access to intervene with the MBG partner verification team. “Thus, he could identify vacant kitchen points and arrange for prospective SPPGs that had registered on the MBG partner portal and been approved to have their registration status cancelled,” he said.

Furthermore, Asep Yusuf was able to facilitate the establishment of SPPGs at points that should have been closed. He also handed over reward money to Sony. “After arranging these SPPG points, AYS unlawfully gave a sum of money to suspect SS,” Syarief stated. For his actions, Asep Yusuf is charged under Article 12 letters a and b of the Corruption Eradication Law and Articles 605 paragraph 2 and 606 of the Criminal Code.

Previously, the Attorney General’s Office had named three other suspects in the case: former BGN Head Dadan Hindayana and former BGN Deputy Heads Sony Sonjaya and Lodewyk Pusung. Syarief explained that the MBG programme should have been managed by foundations affiliated with recipient schools. However, in practice, many SPPGs were appointed because they had affiliations with BGN officials. He added that these foundations did not actually meet the requirements to become SPPG partners. The three suspects also marked up procurement prices, causing losses that undermined the programme’s operations, including 21,801 electric motorcycles worth IDR 1.03 trillion, 32,000 pairs of shoes, 31,994 tablets, and 5,400 75-inch televisions.