Indonesia’s Attorney General’s Office has ordered all provincial prosecutors to halt data and statement collection on the Free Meals program. Officials said the collection period was over and that the directive was to prevent misuse. The order follows inspections of nutrition service units in Central Java run by police.

Thekabarnews.com – Indonesia’s Attorney General’s Office (AGO) confirmed it has ordered all provincial prosecutors’ offices to stop the data and information-gathering activities of the government’s Free Meals program (MBG).

AGO spokesperson Anang Supriatna confirmed the order on Monday, July 13. Officials issued the instruction to prevent anyone from using the process beyond its original purpose. The collection period had expired, he said.

“The deadline for collecting the data had elapsed,” said Anang, explaining why the order was issued across the country.

This direction was issued in Letter No. B-3256/F.2/Fd.2/07/2026, dated 10th July, 2026. It allegedly told all heads of provincial prosecutors’ offices (Kejati) to stop collecting data and statements related to the implementation of MBG in their respective regions.

The AGO said the decision was administrative because the authorized data collection period had already expired. The order was thus meant to end the activity formally. It would reduce the risk of officials continuing or abusing it without a valid mandate.

The instruction came after the data collection activities by the Central Java Prosecutor’s Office in several Nutrition Fulfillment Service Units (SPPGs). Those facilities included SPPGs run by the Indonesian National Police.

The letter cited a media report by the head of the Central Java Prosecutor’s Office and a follow-up disposition by the attorney general. However, it did not order the suspension of meal distribution through the MBG program.

Nor does the cessation of regional data collection have anything to do with the AGO’s continuing investigation into alleged corruption in MBG governance.

Prosecutors named three former senior officials of the National Nutrition Agency as suspects in June 2026. An official prosecution service report said the allegations are still pending legal proceedings and the presumption of innocence.

MBG is one of the biggest national social programs in Indonesia. As of January 20, 2026, the National Nutrition Agency (BGN) reported that the program had reached 21,102 SPPGs, with the total number of beneficiaries at some 59.86 million. The total disbursements were at Rp18 trillion. Among the beneficiaries were students and education workers, according to official BGN data.

The program also enjoys a big public budget. Prosecutors said the government allocated Rp268 trillion for MBG in 2026, compared to Rp85.27 trillion in 2025.

The size of the program will likely bring public attention to the division of responsibilities between national and regional institutions for oversight, evidence gathering, and law enforcement regarding the latest order. Nevertheless, AGO has stressed that the directive ends the specific regional collection activity. It does not end the MBG program.