September 26, 2025 | 10:00 am
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesia's National Nutrition Agency (BGN) has come under mounting scrutiny following a string of mass food poisoning cases linked to the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) program in several regions.
By the end of September, the Civil Society Coalition reported that at least 6,432 people had fallen ill after consuming meals from the program.
BGN, established under former President Joko Widodo, is currently led by Dadan Hindayana, supported by a deputy head and several top officials. Notably, a significant portion of the agency’s leadership is drawn from retired Indonesian National Army (TNI) personnel.
According to BGN’s official website, five retired senior officers occupy key posts in the agency’s nutrition fulfillment division. Among them, Major General (Ret.) Lodewyk Pusung serves as Deputy Head of BGN, a role he assumed following his inauguration by President Prabowo Subianto on October 21, 2024.
Brigadier General (Ret.) Sarwono, formerly Director of Defense at the Ministry of Defense during Prabowo’s tenure, has been appointed as BGN’s Chief Secretary. Meanwhile, Brigadier General (Ret.) Jimmy Alexander Adirman, who also retired from the Defense Ministry, now serves as Chief Inspector of the agency.
Two other retired officers, Brigadier General (Ret.) Suardi Samiran and Major General (Ret.) Dadang Hendrayudha, hold deputy positions in charge of providing and distributing food as well as monitoring and supervision. Both previously served under Prabowo at the Ministry of Defense.
While military figures dominate much of BGN’s leadership, several professionals also occupy deputy roles. Igor Pangaribuan, former HR Director of PT Timah, now serves as Deputy for Systems and Governance, while Nyoto Suwignyo, formerly with the National Food Agency, has been appointed Deputy for Promotion and Cooperation.
President Prabowo further expanded BGN’s leadership in mid-September through a cabinet reshuffle, appointing Nanik Sudaryati Deyang and Police Brigadier General Sonny Sanjaya as additional deputy heads.
BGN chief Dadan Hindayana has defended the reliance on retired military officials, stressing the need for speed in rolling out the government’s nutrition program nationwide.
“Why are we assisted by retired TNI personnel? Because we need to work extra fast, reaching all areas,” Dadan told Commission IX of the House of Representatives on October 31, 2024. He added that the discipline and pace of military operations were well-suited to the agency’s mission.
Dadan argued that the mix of technocrats, scientists, and retired military personnel provides an optimal formula for advancing BGN’s programs. “This combination is very beneficial for the progress of the National Nutrition Agency,” he said.
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