Roy Adriansyah, Jakarta – The Attorney General's Office (AGO) has named a new suspect in an expanding corruption investigation linked to the government's Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) program and procurement projects at the National Nutrition Agency (BGN).
Prosecutors on Friday named AM, a commissioner and controlling shareholder of private company PT IAT, as a suspect in an alleged graft case involving the procurement of electric motorcycles for BGN between 2025 and 2026.
BGN chief Dadan Hindayana confirmed in April that the agency had procured 25,000 electric motorbikes to support the nationwide rollout of the free meal program. The bulk purchase, carried out since December 2025, had not previously been publicly disclosed and sparked speculation after images and videos showing rows of motorbikes bearing the BGN logo circulated widely on social media. Online speculation had suggested the agency purchased as many as 70,000 units.
Investigators from the Attorney General's Office special crimes unit said they found at least two pieces of evidence indicating AM had communicated with BGN officials since early 2025 regarding the procurement plan, even before the tender process officially began.
According to investigators, PT IAT allegedly did not meet the requirements to become a procurement vendor at the time, but AM was suspected of attempting to secure the project for the company anyway.
"Investigators found indications of active communication with procurement officials despite the company not meeting supplier requirements," Investigation Director Syarif Sulaiman Nahdi said on Friday.
Prosecutors also alleged there had been manipulation of procurement specifications and pricing to benefit certain parties. AM is further suspected of receiving full payment based on falsified handover documents.
Investigators said the electric motorcycles procured did not match BGN's operational needs or required standards. The alleged irregularities are believed to have caused state losses, though authorities are still calculating the amount.
AM has been detained for 20 days at the South Jakarta branch of the Salemba detention center pending further investigation.
The case is part of a corruption probe surrounding the implementation of the MBG program, one of the government's flagship social welfare initiatives aimed at providing free nutritious meals.
Earlier this week, prosecutors also named another private-sector figure, identified as AYS, as a suspect in a separate part of the investigation tied to the MBG program.
According to investigators, AYS allegedly worked with former BGN deputy head Sony Sonjaya to manipulate the selection process for MBG partner kitchens, known as SPPG units.
Prosecutors said AYS was given access to the MBG partner verification system, allowing him to identify vacant kitchen locations and intervene in the approval process for applicants. Some applicants who had previously been approved through the official portal were allegedly removed and replaced with parties connected to AYS.
Investigators also suspect AYS facilitated the registration of new SPPG partners after the application portal had officially closed. In return, prosecutors allege that AYS provided payments to Sony Sonjaya.
AYS was detained for 20 days at the same detention facility to prevent interference with the investigation and possible destruction of evidence.
With the addition of AM and AYS, the number of suspects in the MBG corruption investigation has risen to four.
Previously, prosecutors had named former BGN head Dadan Hindayana, former deputy head for operations Sony Sonjaya, and former deputy head for organizational development and institutional relations Lodewyk Pusung as suspects.
The Attorney General's Office said the investigation remains ongoing and more suspects could be named as investigators continue tracing financial flows, procurement mechanisms, and alleged manipulation in the MBG partner selection process.
Source: https://jakartaglobe.id/news/ago-names-new-suspect-in-mbg-corruption-prob