Prosecutors Uncover Billion-Rupiah Gains in Indonesian Nutrition Agency Corruption Case

Indonesian prosecutors have identified billions of rupiah in alleged illicit gains by former National Nutrition Agency (BGN) head Dadan Hindayana and two former deputies, Sony Sonjaya and Lodewyk Pusung. The trio were recently dismissed from their positions by President Prabowo Subianto before being named suspects by the Attorney General's Office (Kejagung).

According to Kejagung, a significant portion of the alleged illicit profits stemmed from daily operational incentives of Rp6 million (approximately $370 USD) per day. These funds were intended for partner foundations implementing the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) program. Prosecutors believe the suspects exploited this incentive scheme for personal enrichment.

"Approximately the Rp6 million was [the SPPG incentive rule]. That's per day," stated Director of Investigation Syarief. However, he clarified that the exact flow of funds from each affiliated foundation is still under investigation. Kejagung is also in the process of calculating the total state financial losses resulting from the alleged corruption.

The Rp6 million daily incentive for SPPGs was formalized in a BGN decree, intended to ensure the readiness and availability of MBG service facilities that meet agency standards. This payment was based on availability, not per-portion costs. The calculation was normatively set at Rp2,000 per portion, multiplied by a capacity of 3,000 beneficiaries per day.

Kejagung previously stated that the MBG program was intended to be managed by foundations affiliated with recipient schools. However, the investigation revealed that many appointed SPPGs had affiliations with BGN officials, suggesting a pattern of cronyism and corruption within the program's management.

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Approximately the Rp6 million was [the SPPG incentive rule]. That's per day.