Seventh Suspect: Brigadier General Lalu Iwan Meddled in MBG 'Ompreng' Project

Brigadier General Lalu Muhammad Iwan Mahardan has been named a suspect by the Attorney General’s Office in a corruption case concerning the management of the Free Nutritious Meals programme. Director of Investigation for the Junior Attorney General for Special Crimes, Syarief Sulaeman Nahdi, stated that Lalu is the seventh suspect in this case. ‘We have named one more suspect, namely Mr LMI. He served as Head of the Legal and Public Relations Bureau of the National Nutrition Agency until March 2025. He currently serves as Secretary of the Deputy for Promotion and Cooperation at the National Nutrition Agency,’ he said during a press conference at the Attorney General’s Office on Thursday (2/6). Regarding his role, Syarief stated that Lalu instructed witnesses YCS and RD to establish a company as a vehicle to sell food containers, known as ‘ompreng’, to prospective Nutrition Fulfilment Service Unit partners at a predetermined price. Syarief said that a portion of the price was also remitted to Lalu. He stated that this money was also a factor in ensuring the Nutrition Fulfilment Service Unit partners were approved by the National Nutrition Agency. Iwan is now detained at the Salemba Detention Centre, South Jakarta District Prosecutor’s Office branch, for the next 20 days. He is charged under Article 12 letters A, B, and E of the Corruption Eradication Law in conjunction with the Criminal Code. ‘Included in that price is a fee for Mr LMI so that the location is approved,’ said Syarief. Separately, the Head of the National Police Public Relations Division, Inspector General Johnny Eddizon Isir, asserted that the National Police fully supports and respects the ongoing legal process at the Attorney General’s Office. He explained that Lalu will also be processed ethically for his actions within the police force. Isir stressed that any National Police member who commits a criminal offence will be processed both legally and ethically. ‘The National Police is taking a firm stance in accordance with applicable service regulations and is committed to ensuring there is no impunity for any individual National Police personnel who commits a criminal act,’ Isir said. Prior to this, the Attorney General’s Office had named six other suspects in this corruption case. The six are former Head of the National Nutrition Agency Dadan Hindayana; former Deputy Heads of the National Nutrition Agency Sony Sonjaya and Lodewyk Pusung; Sony’s associate Asep Yusuf Somantri; Commissioner of PT. Yasa Artha Trimanunggal, Andri Mulyono; and Chairman of the Indonesian Food Security Review Foundation, Glory Harimas Sihombing.