Novali Panji Nugroho, Jakarta – The National Nutrition Body (BGN) is facing renewed scrutiny following reports that it spent its 2025 budget on the procurement of shoe polish and brushes.
This expenditure was disclosed in realization data from Inaproc, the government's goods and services procurement portal managed by the Government Goods/Services Procurement Policy Agency.
In the document reviewed by Tempo, BGN entered into at least 12 procurement contracts for shoe polish and brushes. The agency, which oversees the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) project, allocated a total of Rp1.57 billion for these items.
The contract values for these packages range from Rp17.43 million to Rp610.2 million. The single largest contract, categorized under the activity name "Shoe Polish," is recorded at Rp610.2 million.
Regarding the procurement of shoe brushes, the largest individual contract reached Rp158.62 million. Both of the highest-value contracts for these items were awarded to PT Gajah Mitra Paragon through an electronic catalog mechanism.
Tempo investigated PT Gajah Mitra Paragon's catalog on the Inaproc site. The supplier lists a single unit of Kiwi shoe polish at prices ranging from Rp54,999 to Rp56,000, while a shoe brush from the same company is priced at Rp50,000.
The prices for these items provided by these suppliers appear higher than those found in traditional markets. For comparison, a similar brand's shoe polish and brush package typically retails for only Rp18,999.
BGN Head Dadan Hindayana has not yet responded to inquiries sent to his WhatsApp number regarding the shoe polish and brush procurement. In a previous statement, Dadan asserted that all of the agency's purchases of goods and services are based on actual field requirements.
He stated that BGN's procurement activities are essential to the operational needs of the MBG project. "Every expenditure of the state budget within the BGN is conducted through planning, budgeting, and oversight mechanisms in accordance with applicable laws and regulations," Dadan said in a written statement on Monday, April 13, 2026.
BGN's procurement practices have recently drawn public criticism, as many expenditures appear unrelated to the agency's mandate of improving nutrition and tackling stunting. These various procurements have been labeled as wasteful, particularly as the Prabowo Subianto administration has pursued budget efficiency policies since 2025.
Among the more unusual projects is the procurement of over 25,000 motorcycles for the operational use of MBG head chefs. The contract value for these vehicles reached Rp1.2 trillion.
Other BGN projects include a Rp6.9 billion allocation for socks, Rp830 billion for hardware and computers, and Rp113.9 billion for event organizer services.
Source: https://en.tempo.co/read/2098810/bgn-under-fire-again-for-rp1-5bn-shoe-polish-procuremen