Indonesia’s Free Nutritious Meal Program Corruption: 5 Suspects Named
The Attorney General’s Office (Kejagung) has named five suspects in a corruption case involving the National Nutrition Agency’s (BGN) Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) program for 2025-2026. According to Syarief Sulaeman Nahdi, Director of Investigation at Jampidsus Kejagung, the suspects include former BGN leadership and private vendors accused of illegal foundation affiliations and price markups.
The investigation follows a warrant dated May 29, 2026. The case centers on the mismanagement of the MBG program, which Syarief Sulaeman Nahdi detailed during a press conference in South Jakarta on June 3, 2026.
Who are the suspects in the BGN corruption case?
Kejagung has identified five individuals as suspects. These include former BGN Head Dadan Hindayana and former Deputy Heads Sony Sonjaya and Lodewyk Pusung.
The remaining suspects are private citizens: Asep Yusuf Somantri (AYS), described as a close associate of Sony Sonjaya, and Andri Mulyono (AM), the Commissioner of PT Yasa Artha Trimanunggal (PT YAT).
How was the Free Nutritious Meal program manipulated?
Syarief Sulaeman Nahdi stated that the MBG program should have been managed by foundations at individual schools. Instead, the suspects allegedly used foundations affiliated with BGN officials to secure the Nutrition Fulfillment Service Units (SPPG) partnerships.
Dadan, Sony, and Lodewyk allegedly manipulated the verification process on the BGN partner portal. This allowed affiliated foundations to receive incentives worth billions of rupiah daily, according to Nahdi.
Sony Sonjaya allegedly gave Asep Yusuf Somantri access to interfere with the verification team. Nahdi claimed Sony used this to identify vacant “kitchen points” and cancel previously approved SPPG candidates to make room for others.
What goods were subject to price markups?
Investigators found evidence of price inflation for several items that Nahdi said did not support the actual operations of the MBG program. The suspects allegedly inflated costs for 31,000 tablets and 5,400 75-inch televisions.
The procurement of 32,000 pairs of shoes also allegedly violated regulations through price markups. These actions resulted in financial losses for the state, according to the Kejagung.
Andri Mulyono and PT YAT are specifically accused of marking up the price of electric motors to match the available budget ceiling. Nahdi noted that PT YAT did not meet vendor requirements because it lacked active dealers and workshops in Indonesia.
What happens next in the legal process?
Asep Yusuf Somantri is currently detained at the Salemba Detention Center for 20 days. He faces charges under Article 12 of the Anti-Corruption Law (UU Tipikor) and Articles 605 and 606 of the Criminal Code (KUHP).
Andri Mulyono has also been detained under Articles 603 and 604 of the KUHP. Kejagung officials are currently calculating the exact amount of the markup for the electric motors, which had a total budget of approximately Rp 1.1 trillion.
Future proceedings could include further audits of the SPPG foundations to determine the total amount of illicit incentives paid. The court may also examine the specific roles of the former BGN leadership in the creation of the Terms of Reference (KAK) for these procurements.
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the total budget for the electric motors?
According to Syarief Sulaeman Nahdi, the budget for the electric motors was approximately Rp 1.1 trillion.
Why was PT YAT considered an unqualified vendor?
Kejagung stated that PT YAT did not have any active dealers or workshops in Indonesia and did not meet the necessary requirements.
How did the suspects manipulate the SPPG partner portal?
Sony Sonjaya allegedly gave Asep Yusuf Somantri access to interfere with verifiers, allowing them to cancel approved candidates and facilitate new registrations even after the portal had closed.
Do you think stricter vendor infrastructure requirements could prevent similar procurement fraud in government programs?