Indonesia's Attorney General's Office has deepened its investigation into corruption within the free nutritious meal programme, securing the arrest of a fifth suspect. On Friday, June 12, investigators detained Andri Mulyono, commissioner of logistics firm PT Yasa Artha Trimanunggal, over allegations of price manipulation in the vast national initiative.
Authorities contend that Andri inflated the cost of more than 21,000 electric motorcycles destined for kitchen facilities across the country, artificially raising expenses to match the Rp 1.03 trillion procurement budget ceiling set by the National Nutrition Agency. Investigation director Syarief Sulaeman Nahdi stated that Andri had illegally profited through the manipulated procurement process.
The electric motorcycle purchases triggered public outcry in April, with critics questioning their relevance to the programme's actual needs. Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa subsequently announced that no additional motorcycle orders would be placed in 2026, attributing the approval missteps to internal ministry miscommunication.
Earlier arrests include businessman Asep Yusuf Somantri, accused of leveraging connections with former deputy agency head Sony Sonjaya to tamper with partner verification systems. This allowed him to circumvent registration deadlines and facilitate unauthorised applications. Sony and fellow deputy Lodewyk Pusung, along with former head Dadan Hindayana, were arrested on June 3 following dismissals ordered by President Prabowo Subianto.
Authorities are preparing to re-interview Sony regarding his petition for justice collaborator status, which would involve disclosing over 20 additional individuals allegedly implicated in the scheme. The investigation continues as evidence emerges of systemic irregularities within the programme.
Since launching in early 2025, the initiative—intended to provide meals for more than 80 million schoolchildren and pregnant women—has faced mounting criticism. At least 33,000 mass food-poisoning cases have been reported, alongside corruption allegations. Student-led protests on Friday demanded programme suspension, with demonstrators labelling it a governmental misstep given the nation's economic difficulties.
Government Communications Agency head Muhammad Qodari defended the initiative on Saturday, asserting that operational difficulties are inevitable and do not warrant abandonment. He emphasised the programme's value in combating childhood malnutrition, stating that problems require evaluation rather than programme termination.
