October 15, 2025 | 10:00 am
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Deputy Head of the National Nutrition Agency (BGN), Nanik S. Deyang, reminds that the free nutritious meal program (MBG) should not be profit-oriented. She emphasizes that the program, which is President Prabowo's flagship program, is intended to improve the quality of nutrition for Indonesian children.
"The MBG program is not a business. This is President Prabowo Subianto's love for Indonesian children," said Nanik Deyang in a statement in Jakarta on Wednesday, October 15, 2025.
According to Nanik, there needs to be a shared responsibility between the National Nutrition Agency, kitchen partners, and nutrition fulfillment service units (SPPG) to address shortcomings in the field. "We must acknowledge that this is our collective negligence. It is the fault of the National Nutrition Agency, partners, and SPPG that we must rectify together," said Nanik Deyang.
She hopes that the MBG organizers will not excessively profit from food ingredients. She warns that the organizers should not reduce the quantity of food ingredients. "Mr. Prabowo himself calculated the menu and concluded that with Rp 10,000, we can still use chicken and eggs. So do not mark up the budget for food ingredients. It must be utilized fully. Apart from milk, there should be two dishes, not one," she said.
Nanik also advises all implementing parties to remind and maintain the integrity of the program. "Please remind nutrition experts and accountants to supervise this menu," she added.
Nanik also highlights a number of MBG partner kitchens that are deemed inadequate. Nanik stated that she has seen substandard MBG kitchens spread from Kuningan to West Nusa Tenggara (NTB).
"At the initial launch, kitchens that were not epoxy-coated (strengthened with material to reinforce the building's floor) should not operate, but now many kitchens that have not been epoxy-coated are already in operation," Nanik said.
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