JAKARTA, Thekabarnews.com—Indonesia’s Attorney General’s Office has disclosed alleged procurement irregularities in the Free Meals Program (MBG), expanding a corruption probe. This probe has already implicated several former senior officials of the National Nutrition Agency (BGN).

The Special Crimes Directorate (Jampidsus) investigators are looking into several procurement contracts signed during the term of ex-BGN head Dadan Hindayana. One of the most prominent purchases is 21,801 electric motorcycles. Their total value is some Rp1.03 trillion (US$63 million).

Prosecutors said the procurement was conducted through PT Yasa Artha Trimanunggal (YAT). Officials believe this company may not have met the necessary qualifications to serve as a government vendor.

Investigators suspect the company likely lacked the operational requirements, such as active dealerships and service facilities. That’s according to Syarief Sulaeman Nahdi, director of investigations at the Attorney General’s Office Special Crimes Directorate.

“The vendor did not have the necessary qualifications because it did not have active dealerships or workshops, and investigators also found indications of price markups,” Syarief told reporters Friday, June 5, as cited in Akuratco.

The purchase of the electric motorcycles is just part of a broader investigation into the management of the MBG program. This program is one of Indonesia’s flagship social welfare programs.

Prosecutors also disclosed suspected markups related to the purchase of 32,000 pairs of shoes, 31,994 tablet computers, and 5,400 units of 75-inch televisions. BGN delivered and distributed all of the items, according to authorities.

The findings have drawn more scrutiny to procurement practices in the agency. The large amount of public funding allocated to the national nutrition initiative has intensified scrutiny of the program.

The MBG program aimed to improve nutrition, health outcomes, and educational performance among Indonesian children and vulnerable groups.

It has evolved into one of the government’s most ambitious social programs. The program caters to millions of recipients nationwide and depends heavily on state budget allocations.

Allegations of procurement manipulation and inflated pricing have drawn considerable public attention.

Now, investigators are examining whether the procurement decisions complied with government rules. They are also checking whether officials inappropriately influenced the vendor selection processes.

The Attorney General’s Office has officially named former BGN head Dadan Hindayana as a suspect in the case. Former deputy heads Sony Sonjaya and Lodewyk Pusung were also named as suspects.

Authorities accuse the three former officials of involvement in alleged corruption in governance and procurement activities in the MBG program.

The suspects have not been found guilty, and the investigation continues.

Procurement corruption cases usually involve detailed scrutiny of financial transactions, vendor verification, contract evaluation, and a forensic audit. These steps help determine whether someone diverted state money.

The latest developments are among the most serious legal challenges for the National Nutrition Agency since its inception.

The investigation’s outcome could have implications for future oversight mechanisms for government welfare programs on a large scale. This is especially the case for programs with wide-ranging procurement and distribution networks.

The contracts are worth millions of dollars, and the nutrition program is of vital importance to millions of Indonesians. Therefore, public interest in the case is likely to remain high as investigators continue to look at contracts, procurement records, and financial transactions.

For now, prosecutors say that more findings may come as the investigation continues.

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