Attorney General's Office Names New Suspect in MBG Corruption Case; Total Reaches Six

The Indonesian Attorney General's Office (Kejagung) has escalated its investigation into the "Makan Bergizi Gratis" (MBG) program by naming a new suspect, Glory Harimas Sihombing (GHS), the Chairperson of the Indonesia Food Security Review Foundation. This development brings the total number of individuals implicated in the corruption case to six.

Syarief Sulaeman Nahdi, Director of Investigation at the Junior Attorney General for Special Crimes, stated that GHS, a private sector figure, was allegedly asked by former BGN Head Dadan Hindayana to find partner foundations for the Nutrition Fulfillment Service Unit (SPPG). "GHS provided a sum of currency, both foreign and rupiah, to Mr. DH," Nahdi revealed during a press conference on Thursday.

Following her designation as a suspect, GHS was immediately detained for 20 days at the detention center of the Attorney General's Office in Salemba. Previously, Kejagung had identified five other suspects: former BGN Head Dadan Hindayana; former BGN Deputy Heads Sony Sonjaya and Lodewyk Pusung; Sony's associate Asep Yusuf Somantri (AYS); and Commissioner of PT. Yasa Artha Trimanunggal (YAT), Andri Mulyono.

The MBG program was intended to be managed by SPPGs affiliated with recipient schools. However, the investigation revealed that many SPPGs were appointed due to their connections with BGN officials, and several lacked the necessary qualifications to serve as partners. Furthermore, allegations of inflated prices for procured goods, including electric motorcycles, shoes, tablets, and televisions, have resulted in significant financial losses that did not support the program's operational needs.

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GHS provided a sum of currency, both foreign and rupiah, to Mr. DH.