The handover ceremony took place at the headquarters of the Attorney Generals Office of Indonesia in Jakarta, where stacks of cash were displayed prominently in the main courtyard.
The funds are distributed directly to kitchens operating under the programme, known as Nutrition Fulfilment Service Units (SPPG), across the country.
Prabowo highlighted the significant employment potential of the MBG programme.
TheIndonesia.co - Former head of Indonesia’s National Nutrition Agency (BGN), Dadan Hindayana, was reportedly taken in by investigators from the Attorney General’s Office (AGO) on Wednesday morning, according to information obtained by Suara.com.
Sources also claimed that two former senior BGN officials, identified as Lodewyk Pusung and Sony Sanjaya, were being pursued or questioned as part of the same investigation.
The reported action coincided with a search conducted by AGO investigators at the BGN headquarters in Kebon Sirih, Central Jakarta, in the early hours of Wednesday.
According to observations at the scene, normal office activities were effectively suspended. Employees arriving for work were prevented from entering the building, while security personnel instructed staff to remain outside during the operation.
"The AGO team has been here since around 2 a.m.," a security officer said.
By 11:30 a.m. local time, more employees had gathered outside the premises, but access to the building remained restricted. Journalists were also barred from entering the office complex, temporarily disrupting public services provided by the agency.
Leadership shake-up
The search came just one day after President Prabowo Subianto carried out a major leadership reshuffle at the National Nutrition Agency.
On Tuesday, the President officially removed Dadan Hindayana from his position as head of BGN and appointed Naniek S Deyang as his successor.
Minister of State Secretary Prasetyo Hadi indicated that the reshuffle was linked to concerns over governance and integrity within the agency.
He referred to allegations involving the sale and allocation of Nutrition Service Fulfilment Units (SPPG), which are part of the government's flagship Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) programme.
"An internal audit is being conducted. This forms part of our evaluation and oversight process," Prasetyo said.
He also highlighted concerns regarding compliance with standard operating procedures and broader governance issues within the agency.
AGO confirms search
The Attorney General’s Office confirmed that investigators from its Special Crimes Directorate had carried out a search at the BGN headquarters.
Acting Head of the AGO's Legal Information Centre, Mochamad Jeffry, acknowledged the operation but declined to provide further details about the case or the evidence being sought.
"Investigators from the Special Crimes Directorate of the Attorney General's Office are indeed conducting a search at the BGN office," Jeffry said.
Separately, Jeffry stated that the AGO would issue an official statement later in the day regarding reports that Dadan Hindayana and the two former deputy officials had been taken in by investigators.
"An official release will be issued later," he said.
As of Wednesday afternoon, authorities had not publicly announced any formal charges against the three former BGN officials. The investigation remains ongoing.
