The Indonesian Attorney General's Office (AGO) has expanded its investigation into corruption allegations surrounding the free nutritious meals programme, apprehending two more individuals. The developments widen a probe that has already netted three former executives of the National Nutrition Agency (BGN), the agency overseeing the nationwide initiative.
On Friday (June 12), AGO investigators detained Andri Mulyono, a commissioner at logistics firm PT Yasa Artha Trimanunggal (YAT), on suspicion of involvement in the alleged graft scheme. Authorities contend that Andri artificially inflated procurement costs for approximately 21,000 electric motorcycles intended for meal preparation kitchens across the country, pushing expenditures to reach the Rp 1.03 trillion (US$58.2 million) budget threshold. "Andri illicitly profited through the falsified procurement process," said Syarief Sulaeman Nahdi, investigation director at the Office of Assistant Attorney General for Special Crimes.
The motorcycle procurement sparked public controversy in April over questions about its necessity. Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa subsequently announced that no additional electric motorcycle acquisitions would occur during 2026, attributing the situation to internal coordination failures within the ministry that resulted in partial approval of the proposal. Earlier in the week, authorities had arrested businessman Asep Yusuf Somantri as another suspect. Investigators believe Asep leveraged connections with former BGN deputy chief Sony Sonjaya to manipulate the partner verification procedure, enabling him to alter kitchen registrations and approve applications beyond the scheduled deadline.
The arrest count now stands at five following the detention of Sony, co-deputy Lodewyk Pusung and former BGN chief Dadan Hindayana on June 3, within 24 hours of President Prabowo Subianto's dismissal of the trio. The AGO plans additional questioning of Sony regarding his application for justice collaborator status, which could implicate over 20 additional individuals in the affair.
The free meals initiative, designed to address malnutrition among over 80 million schoolchildren and pregnant women nationally, has been beset by graft allegations and at least 33,000 documented mass food-poisoning incidents since commencing in early 2025. Student-led demonstrations under the hashtag #MenujuIndonesiaBangkrut (Indonesia heading for bankruptcy) on Friday called for programme suspension, describing it as a "misplaced priority" amid currency weakness. Government Communications Agency head Muhammad Qodari defended the initiative on Saturday, stating it would continue despite implementation challenges, noting that the programme remains vital for reducing stunting rates.
