Sony Sonjaya names 26 in Indonesian nutrition program graft case

A former Indonesian official has submitted a list of 26 names implicated in a corruption case concerning the "Makan Bergizi Gratis" (MBG) program. Krisna Murti, lawyer for ex-Deputy Head of the National Nutrition Agency (BGN) Sony Sonjaya, stated that his client provided these names to investigators, and they are included in the investigation report.

Murti indicated that the individuals involved span across the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of government. He noted that the legislative branch appears to have the highest number of alleged participants. The lawyer also mentioned that the list of 26 names is only partial and could grow as the investigation progresses.

Sony Sonjaya has officially applied to be a Justice Collaborator in the MBG program's governance corruption case. His lawyer clarified that this move is not an attempt to evade legal proceedings but rather a commitment to cooperate and expose other individuals involved in the presidential flagship program.

The Attorney General's Office has named former BGN Head Dadan Hindayana, along with former deputy heads Sony Sonjaya and Lodewyk Pusung, as suspects in the MBG program's corruption case. The investigation revealed that the MBG program, intended to be managed by foundations affiliated with recipient schools, was instead often managed by entities linked to BGN officials. These appointed foundations reportedly lacked the necessary qualifications. Furthermore, the suspects are accused of inflating prices during procurement, leading to financial losses and hindering the program's operations. Specific procurement irregularities include the purchase of 21,801 electric motorcycles worth Rp1.03 trillion, 32,000 pairs of shoes, 31,994 tablets, and 5,400 75-inch televisions.