Those Who Deny Any Dealings with Sony Sonjaya

The former Deputy Head of the National Nutrition Agency (BGN), Sony Sonjaya, through his attorney Krisna Murti, claimed to have provided more than 20 names suspected of involvement in corruption within the management of the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) programme to investigators from the Attorney General’s Office. The dozens of names were submitted in the official examination report. Krisna stated that a request for Justice Collaborator (JC) status had also been submitted to investigators, expressing hope that it would be granted. ‘We have already submitted to the investigators, it is in the BAP. During the examination, I was accompanying Mr Sony, and we put it in the BAP,’ Krisna told reporters on Wednesday. He disclosed that there were 26 names allegedly involved in the case, noting that this figure was only partial. ‘There are people from the executive, legislative, and judicial branches. The most are from the legislative branch. There are 26, with the possibility of increasing, that is only a portion,’ he said.

In response, the Democratic Party addressed rumours of closeness with Sony Sonjaya. The party asserted that Chairman Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono has no connection whatsoever to Sony Sonjaya regarding SPPG or other BGN programmes. The Head of the Democratic Party’s Strategic Communication Agency, Herzaky Mahendra Putra, stated that AHY does not know Mr Sony Sonjaya and has never met or communicated with him. ‘AHY has never proposed, recommended, requested assistance, or sought support from Mr Sony Sonjaya regarding the SPPG programme or other matters, whether directly or indirectly,’ he said. Herzaky also addressed media reports containing the phrase ‘2 Colonels proposed by AHY’, calling it an accusation with no factual basis and a potential slander.

Chief of the Presidential Staff Office, Dudung Abdurachman, also denied allegations of owning a SPPG kitchen following the exposure of the corruption case. Dudung claimed he does not own any MBG kitchen at all. He clarified that several Islamic boarding schools close to him had informed him about receiving MBG benefits, and he subsequently introduced them to former BGN Head Dadan Hindayana. ‘They then requested to be introduced to Mr Dadan. I told Mr Dadan that these boarding schools were ready administratively. However, the realisation never happened,’ Dudung said, emphasising that the infrastructure was never built. He firmly denied possessing a kitchen, challenging anyone to verify the claim.

Deputy Chairman of Commission IX of the House of Representatives, Yahya Zaini, also stressed that he was not involved in any procurement at the BGN. He categorically denied involvement in MBG kitchen matters, stating, ‘It is an untrue accusation, or rather, slander, because I am not involved in corruption at the BGN.’