55 Free Nutritious Meal Kitchens in Batam Cease Operations as Budget Delays Reported
More than 50 Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) kitchens, also known as Nutrition Fulfillment Service Units (SPPG), distributed across Batam, Riau Islands, have temporarily closed and are currently non-operational as of Monday (8/6).
Defri Fernaldi, the MBG coordinator for the Batam region, stated that the closure is due to the failure of operational budgets to be transferred to the local SPPG units in Batam. “Regarding the cessation of operations for several SPPGs, it has indeed begun today because the operational budget for the SPPGs has not yet been released,” he confirmed.
Fernaldi noted that the SPPGs will resume operations once the funds from the State Budget (APBN) have been credited to the SPPGs’ virtual accounts (VA). He emphasised that SPPGs are prohibited from operating without these funds and are also forbidden from using bridge financing from partners.
Additional information suggests that a top-up for SPPGs that have not yet received funding is being processed today, Monday (8/6), by the finance team and the State Treasury Services Office (KPPN). Operations are expected to restart once the funds appear in the virtual accounts.
The preliminary data on the number of non-operational SPPGs is as follows:
15 out of 21 SPPGs in Batam Kota District
12 out of 32 SPPGs in Sagulung District
1 out of 4 SPPGs in Batu Ampar District
7 out of 18 SPPGs in Batu Aji District
7 out of 15 SPPGs in Sei Beduk District
6 out of 8 SPPGs in Lubuk Baja District
6 out of 13 SPPGs in Bengkong District
1 out of 1 SPPG in Belakang Padang District
Previously, the Head of the National Nutrition Agency (BGN), Nanik S. Deyang, denied rumours that the distribution of MBG program funds was being hindered or halted. She stated that the disbursement of funds for program operations had commenced last Friday (5/6) and continued early this week, asserting that much of the information regarding funding obstacles was inaccurate.
“Some of it is hoax. Everything has been disbursed since Friday,” Nanik said following her inauguration at the Merdeka Palace, Central Jakarta, on Monday (8/6).
These statements were made amidst reports that several SPPG units had temporarily suspended operations, claiming they had not yet received operational funds from the central government. Concurrently, the Deputy Head of the BGN, Agustina Arumsari, mentioned that funds for several SPPGs that had previously drawn attention have already entered the recipients’ accounts, stating, “The 27 [SPPGs] have already received the funds.”