Indonesia's KPK coordinates with BPKP on 'MBG' meal project corruption probe

Indonesia's Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) is coordinating with the Financial and Development Supervisory Agency (BPKP) as it investigates alleged corruption within the "MBG" free nutritious meal project. KPK Chairman Setyo Budiyanto stated that the commission's progress in the MBG case hinges on developments at the Attorney General's Office, which has already designated five suspects. The KPK, meanwhile, remains in the investigation phase but has the option to collaborate with the prosecutor's office.

"The Attorney General's Office has done many things, so we will just see," Setyo said Wednesday in Jakarta. Previously, the KPK was awaiting the results of a case review for the alleged MBG corruption. Achmad Taufik Husein, the KPK's Acting Director of Investigation, confirmed that the agency was investigating the case at the investigation stage. However, the Attorney General's Office had already advanced the case to the prosecution stage.

"Therefore, according to legal provisions, there cannot be dual investigations," Taufik explained, adding that the KPK was awaiting a decision from its leadership regarding synergy with the Attorney General's Office. This step is crucial before the KPK decides whether to elevate the MBG corruption case status from investigation to prosecution. "We will develop it for the prosecution process, whether that data will be given to the prosecutor's office, we will wait for the results of the case review, whatever the leadership decides," he said.

The Attorney General's Office initiated its investigation into alleged governance irregularities within the MBG program, which ran from 2025 to 2026. Investigators suspect a "buy-sell" scheme for Nutrition Service Units (SPPG) was implemented. These alleged irregularities are believed to have resulted in state financial losses and benefited several parties. The five suspects named by the Attorney General's Office are Dadan Hindayana (former Head of the National Nutrition Agency), Sony Sonjaya and Lodewyk Pusung (former deputy heads of BGN), Asep Yusuf Somantri, and Andri Mulyono, Commissioner of PT Yasa Artha Trimanunggal.