Sony Sonjaya Reveals 26 Names Allegedly Involved in MBG Corruption

Former Deputy Head of the National Nutrition Agency (BGN) Sony Sonjaya has reportedly submitted 26 names suspected of involvement in an alleged corruption case concerning the management of the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) programme. Sony’s lawyer, Krisna Murti, stated that dozens of high-profile names have been recorded in the official investigation report (BAP) by investigators from the Deputy Attorney General for Special Crimes. “We have conveyed it to the investigators, it is already in the BAP,” he told reporters on Wednesday (10/6). However, Krisna has not yet disclosed further details about the figures allegedly involved in the MBG corruption case. He only stated that those implicated come from various institutions at the executive, judicial, and legislative levels. Krisna also mentioned that the number conveyed by Sony to investigators is only a partial list. He said it is possible the list of names will grow in further examinations. “In short, from the executive, legislative and judicial branches. The majority are from the legislative branch. The total number of names is 26, possibly increasing; that’s only a portion of it,” he stated. Krisna conveyed that all communication evidence is clearly recorded on Sony’s mobile phone, which has now been seized by investigators. Therefore, Krisna urged for the chat evidence to be opened to the public. “All the evidence is inside, all the chat evidence is on the mobile phone currently seized by investigators. For example, person A’s communication with my client, person B as well, all of it. So all that evidence is on my client’s phone and it must be opened,” he said. During the process, Krisna revealed that Sony experienced pressure, both directly and due to the stature of the individuals contacting him. He claimed this was the factor that forced Sony to grant permission for the opening of Nutritional Fulfilment Service Units (SPPG). “Even if they did not use pressure, pressure could still occur. But consider there was no pressure, the influence itself was compelling,” he said. “Mr Sony knows who this person is. This means that influence alone was enough to move him, Mr Sony knows who this person is. The element is already there,” he added. Sony Sonjaya is known to have submitted a request to be a Justice Collaborator (JC) in the case. This submission is claimed not to be an effort to avoid the ongoing legal process. The Attorney General’s Office stated it has received the JC application letter from Sony’s side and is currently reviewing it. The Attorney General’s Office has named former BGN Head Dadan Hindayana and former BGN Deputy Heads Sony Sonjaya and Lodewyk Pusung as suspects in the corruption case concerning the management of the MBG programme. In this matter, the Director of Investigation at the Deputy Attorney General for Special Crimes, Syarief Sulaeman Nahdi, 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 senior BGN officials. Syarief stated that these foundations also did not actually meet the requirements to become SPPG partners. He said the three individuals also marked up prices during procurement, resulting in losses that did not support MBG operational implementation. He detailed inappropriate procurements including 21,801 units of electric motorbikes worth Rp1.03 trillion, 32,000 pairs of shoes, 31,994 tablet units, and 5,400 units of 75-inch televisions.