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🇮🇩 Indonesia /Crime & Justice

Active Police Member Named Suspect in Nutrition Program Corruption Case

From Tempo · () Indonesian

Translated from Indonesian, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Under investigation
  • An active police member, Brigadier General Lalu Muhammad Iwan Mahardan, has been named a suspect in an alleged corruption case involving the free nutritious meal program.
  • He is accused of instructing witnesses to establish a company to sell food trays at predetermined prices, with a portion of the funds allegedly channeled to him.
  • The Attorney General's Office has detained Mahardan and previously named six other suspects, including former officials of the National Nutrition Agency.

The Attorney General's Office (AGO) has identified a new suspect in the alleged corruption surrounding Indonesia's free nutritious meal (MBG) program: Brigadier General Lalu Muhammad Iwan Mahardan, Secretary of the Deputy for Promotion and Cooperation at the National Nutrition Agency (BGN).

According to Syarief Sulaeman Nahdi, deputy director of AGO's Special Criminal Investigation, Mahardan remains an active-duty police officer but works for the BGN. Mahardan allegedly instructed witnesses YCS and RD in 2025 to create a company for selling food trays, known as "ompreng," to potential Nutrition Fulfillment Service Unit (SPPG) partners. These trays were sold at prices set by Mahardan, with a portion of the proceeds reportedly funneled to him.

Yes, that's correct [active police officer], but he works for BGN.

— Syarief Sulaeman NahdiDeputy director of AGO's Special Criminal Investigation Syarief Sulaeman Nahdi confirms the suspect is an active police officer.

Mahardan faces charges under Article 12 of the Anti-Corruption Law, in conjunction with the Indonesian Criminal Code. He is currently detained at Salemba Prison for twenty days. This development follows the AGO's earlier naming of six other suspects in the case.

These previously named individuals include former BGN Chair Dadan Hindayana and his deputies Sony Sanjaya and Lodewyk Pusung. Asep Yusuf Somantri, an associate of Sony Sanjaya, is also a suspect. Additionally, Andri Mulyono, Commissioner of PT Yasa Artha Trimanunggal (a provider of electric motorcycles for BGN), and Glory Harimas Sihombing, Chairperson of the Indonesia Food Security Review Foundation (IFSR), are implicated.

So, within that price, some were channeled into Mr. LMI.

— Syarief Sulaeman NahdiSyarief Sulaeman Nahdi explains how funds were allegedly funneled to the suspect.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Tempo in Indonesian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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