492 MBG Kitchens in Sumatra Temporarily Closed Over This

Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia — A total of 492 Satuan Pelayanan Pemenuhan Gizi (SPPG) in the Sumatra region have their operations temporarily halted from 9 March 2026, with no set end date. The closure is because hundreds of these kitchens have not registered the Sertifikat Laik Higiene dan Sanitasi (SLHS).

Director of Monitoring and Supervision Region I, Harjito, said the suspension was taken to ensure the safety and feasibility standards of kitchens in implementing the Free Nutritious Meals Programme (MBG).

According to Harjito, all SPPG currently operating must meet hygiene and sanitation standards, including through the SLHS registration and verification process at the local health department.

“This suspension is a corrective step so that all operating kitchens truly meet health and food safety standards,” Harjito said in a statement, quoted on Sunday (8/3/2026).

He explained that the provision applies to MBG kitchens that have operated for more than 30 days but have not registered for SLHS.

“We are giving all SPPG operators the opportunity to promptly complete administrative obligations and sanitation standards. After the registration and verification process is completed, operations can be reopened,” he said.

Based on data as of 7 March 2026 at 11.00, there are 492 SPPG in Sumatra that have not registered the SLHS. The figure is the accumulation of reports from the Regional Coordinator for Sumatra who has conducted direct monitoring of MBG kitchen operations in each province.

The provinces with the highest number of kitchens not registering the SLHS are North Sumatra with 252 kitchens. Then Lampung with 77 kitchens, Aceh 76, West Sumatra 69, Riau 9, Riau Islands 5, and Bengkulu 4.

Meanwhile, Jambi, South Sumatra, and Bangka Belitung Islands recorded no MBG kitchens that have not registered the certificate.

Harjito emphasised that the suspension policy is part of strengthening the oversight of MBG service quality targeting public nutrition, especially schoolchildren.

“This programme concerns public health, so food safety standards must not be compromised,” he asserted.

He also urged affected MBG managers to coordinate quickly with the local health department to speed up the SLHS registration process.

“We hope SPPG can promptly complete the required prerequisites so the service can resume and the benefits of the MBG programme can continue to be felt by the public,” he concluded.