BPOM Secures Rp509 Billion Budget for MBG Oversight<\/p>\n
Reporter<\/p>\n
September 17, 2026 | 09:14 pm<\/p>\n
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesian Food and Drug Authority (BPOM) has\nproposed additional funding to oversee the Free Nutritious Meal Program\n(MBG) during budget discussions with the House of Representatives (DPR)\nCommission IX on Thursday, September 17, 2026. BPOM Head Taruna Ikrar\nstated that in the budget discussions, the authority initially proposed\na total budget of Rp4.7 trillion.<\/p>\n
Of that amount, more than Rp1 trillion was specifically allocated to\nsupervise the MBG program. However, the DPR only approved Rp509 billion.\n\u201cSo the conclusion is that the Rp509 billion provided for BPOM\u2019s\noversight is the result of our proposal, but it was not fully approved,\u201d\nsaid Taruna after a working meeting with Commission IX.<\/p>\n
Taruna said the budget for BPOM\u2019s duties and functions, which usually\nreached Rp1.6 trillion, was approved at only Rp115 billion. Despite\nthis, BPOM reaffirmed its commitment to oversee the MBG program. \u201cAnd in\nthat specific context, Badan POM is committed to thoroughly overseeing\nthe free nutritious food program regardless of what happens,\u201d said\nTaruna.<\/p>\n
According to Taruna, the MBG will be supervised in accordance with\nPresidential Regulation Number 115 on the Governance of Free Nutritious\nMeals. The oversight includes monitoring raw materials, education,\nmanagement, distribution, and mitigation in the event of extraordinary\nincidents such as poisoning.<\/p>\n
BPOM calculated the need to test 41,150 samples from approximately\n27,000 nutritious food fulfillment service units (SPPG) to detect\npotential vulnerable areas.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, head of the Nutrition National Agency (BGN), Sudaryono,\nwelcomed BPOM\u2019s involvement in overseeing the MBG program. The Gerindra\nParty politician said their institution had coordinated with the BPOM to\nalign oversight measures and prioritize preventive aspects.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe goal is to prioritize the preventive nature of the nutritious\nfood program we provide. Because indeed, prevention is better than\ncure,\u201d Sudaryono said.<\/p>\n
Sudaryono explained that BGN continues to improve the MBG kitchens\u2019\ngovernance system. They have closed around 1,200 kitchens that do not\nmeet the Hygiene and Sanitation Eligibility Certificate (SLHS) and\nimplemented stricter standard operating procedures (SOP).<\/p>\n
Additionally, he mentioned that BGN also focuses on reducing the use\nof raw materials, particularly animal protein, as it is considered the\nmost likely to cause health disturbances. Currently, BGN is developing a\nmarketplace system to ensure the quality of raw materials and is\ncontinuously evaluating thousands of provider kitchens.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt means that out of the kitchens that have met the standards,\naround 13,000-something, the rest, about half, we are inspecting. If\nthey do not meet the requirements, we have suspended them,\u201d said\nSudaryono.<\/p>\n
During the meeting, DPR Commission IX approved BPOM\u2019s budget ceiling\nin the 2027 Fiscal Year at Rp1.939 trillion. In addition to approving\nthe indicative ceiling, the House also approved and requested BPOM to\npropose additional funding for 2027 amounting to Rp2.465 trillion.<\/p>\n
This additional funding is intended to strengthen the implementation\nof monitoring duties and functions of drugs and food that were not\naccommodated in the initial ceiling. Furthermore, DPR Commission IX and\nBPOM agreed to coordinate with the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry\nof National Development Planning\/Bappenas regarding the transfer of a\nportion of the budget amounting to Rp509.50 billion.<\/p>\n
The budget initially allocated to support the MBG will be reallocated\nto support BPOM\u2019s operational duties of monitoring drugs and food.<\/p>\n
Read: MBG Watch Hails Court Ruling Limiting President\u2019s Power to\nAlter Budget<\/p>\n
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