Several lecturers at Universitas Gadjah Mada in Yogyakarta are\nconcerned about the government\u2019s request for higher education\ninstitutions to build free nutritious meal kitchens, or MBG. They are\nurging UGM Rector Ova Emilia to take a firm stance in rejecting the\nconstruction of an MBG kitchen on campus.<\/p>\n
Herlambang P. Wiratraman, a lecturer in Constitutional Law at the\nFaculty of Law, Universitas Gadjah Mada Yogyakarta, stated that the MBG\nproject contradicts human rights because the government is implementing\nit recklessly, rife with corruption, and draining the budget for\ncitizens\u2019 basic needs, namely education.<\/p>\n
According to him, the project merely supports the interests of those\nin power because the kitchens and foundations involved are affiliated\nwith supporters of President Prabowo and officials. The government is\neven involving the military in the MBG project at schools.<\/p>\n
The Head of the Centre for the Study of Law and Social Justice stated\nthat the campus is not a political tool to whitewash the sins of the MBG\nproject. He urged the UGM Rector to be straightforward regarding the\ngovernment\u2019s cooperation offer to open a Nutrition Fulfilment Service\nUnit kitchen or SPPG on campus. \u201cUnless they have lost all sense of\nshame and conscience, submitting to political co-optation by those in\npower,\u201d said Herlambang on Friday, 8 May 2026.<\/p>\n
He hopes the Rector will be firm and focus on maintaining UGM\u2019s\nreputation in line with its vision of becoming a world-class research\nuniversity that is excellent, independent, dignified, and inspired by\nPancasila. This firm stance is a challenge to safeguard academic freedom\nfor the sake of human civilisation. The campus is not a place for MBG\nproject cooking affairs.<\/p>\n
Achmad Munjid, a lecturer at the Faculty of Cultural Sciences (FIB)\nUGM, stated that MBG is a problematic government project with lax\noversight. The project is not on target and inefficient. UGM should\nreject building and managing MBG because the campus focuses on research,\ncommunity service, and scientific truth. \u201cOpening an MBG kitchen is not\nthe campus\u2019s responsibility,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
According to him, several UGM lecturers are restless and intensively\ndiscussing MBG entering the campus through WhatsApp conversations. They\ncome from various faculties. Besides the Faculty of Law and FIB, there\nare also the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Philosophy, and\nEconomics. The discussion occurred after Universitas Hasanuddin built an\nMBG kitchen.<\/p>\n
The government is asking higher education institutions to build and\nmanage MBG kitchens through the Minister of Higher Education, Science,\nand Technology Brian Yuliarto along with the Head of the National\nNutrition Agency (BGN) Dadan Hindayana. This was revealed during the\ninauguration of Universitas Hasanuddin\u2019s MBG kitchen in South Sulawesi\non Tuesday, 28 April 2026.<\/p>\n
Brian encouraged higher education institutions not to stop at\nresearch. According to him, campuses need to be directly involved in\nimplementing government policies, including efforts to fulfil children\u2019s\nnutrition through the MBG programme. He hopes Unhas\u2019s step will be\nfollowed by other campuses.<\/p>\n
Achmad Munjid mentioned that several lecturers are discussing forms\nof urging to the UGM Rector to firmly reject MBG entering UGM. According\nto him, the rejection by several lecturers is part of the freedom to\nspeak and act. \u201cDemonstrations, petitions or others, we are discussing,\u201d\nhe said.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/ugm-lecturers-urge-rector-to-reject-mbg-kitchen-on-campus-1778303015", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }