Indonesia's North Sumatra Prosecutors Press Ahead With Free Meal Program Probe

8 hours ago 2

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta The High Prosecutors Office of North Sumatra in Indonesia continues to process reports from the public regarding the issue of the free nutritious meal (MBG) project. The investigation into alleged deviations in the implementation of MBG is ongoing despite a circular issued by the Attorney General's Office of the Republic of Indonesia.

Spokesperson of the North Sumatra Prosecutors Office, Rizaldi, stated that the Attorney General's Office of the Republic of Indonesia issued Circular Number B-3256/F.2/Fd.2/07/2026 on July 10, 2026. This circular instructs intelligence prosecutors in the region to discontinue the collection of data and information related to the free meal or the MBG program.

Until now, the collection of data has not been limited to potential allegations of corruption, but also technical issues. All reports that have been collected by the Intelligence Section of the North Sumatra Prosecutors Office are currently under review.

"Reports from the public regarding MBG will certainly not be discontinued by the investigators. So, the public should not misunderstand. The Prosecutors Office is not discontinuing reports from the public regarding MBG that have been received by the North Sumatra Prosecutors Office, nor reports that will be submitted by the public," said Rizaldi to Tempo, on Friday, July 17, 2026.

Rizaldi mentioned that the data collection regarding the issue of MBG started after the Attorney General's Office named the Head of the National Nutrition Agency (BGN) Dadan Hindayana, Deputy Head of BGN Sony Sonjaya, and Lodewyk Pusung as suspects in the alleged corruption case of the MBG program.

The alleged corruption data collected by the North Sumatra Prosecutors Office and submitted to the Special Criminal Investigation Prosecutor of the Attorney General's Office covers the Nutrition Fulfillment Service Units (SPPG) in Medan, Deli Serdang, Tapanuli Tengah, Tapanuli Utara, Asahan, and Simalungun.

Rizaldi stated that this data collection is not related to the series of searches conducted by the investigators of the Corruption Eradication Task Force (Kortastipidkor) of the Indonesian National Police together with the Special Criminal Investigation Directorate of the Jakarta Metropolitan Police. These searches resulted in the naming of former Deputy Attorney General for Special Crimes Febrie Adriansyah as a suspect.

"The instruction from the Attorney General's Office for us to inventory troubled SPPG kitchens has been in place since early June, not newly issued," he said.

Reports from the public regarding alleged corruption in the MBG program that have been submitted to the High Prosecutors Office of North Sumatera are currently being reviewed by the Intelligence division before being submitted to the Head of the High Prosecutors Office of North Sumatera, Muhibuddin. "There are several reports submitted to us," said Rizaldi.

Previously, there was a letter on the letterhead of the Attorney General's Office with the number B-3256/F.2/Fd.2/07/2026 signed by the Director of Special Criminal Investigation of the Attorney General's Office, Syarief Sulaeman Nahdi, instructing the cessation of the Collection of Data and Information on the Issues of the MBG Program.

Whereas previously, through a letter dated June 15, 2026, with the number B -2668/F.2/Fd.2/06/2026, the Attorney General's Office instructed all Heads of High Prosecutors Offices throughout Indonesia to conduct an inventory and report issues in the implementation of the free nutritional meal program by the National Nutrition Agency (BGN).

Read: Indonesia Mulls Limiting Free Meal Program to Toddlers, Junior High Students

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