Banten DPRD Finds Rotten, Mouldy, and Stale Food in Lebak's Free Nutritious Meal Programme
The Banten Regional People’s Representative Council (DPRD) found rotten pears, mouldy dates, and stale food in the free nutritious meal programme (MBG) at two service units in Malingping and Wanasalam sub-districts, Lebak Regency, Banten.
A member of the Banten Provincial DPRD from the United Development Party (PPP) faction, Musa Weliansyah, said that this was not the first time such issues had been reported by the public to the DPRD.
“Previously, damaged MBG packages and items not meeting specifications were found, such as raw eggs, rotten eggs, mouldy dates, and stale food,” said Musa on Thursday, February 26, 2026.
Musa said that the damaged MBG was sent from the service unit located in Bejod Village, Wanasalam District, to State Vocational High School 1 Wanasalam and from the service unit in North Malingping Village, Malingping District, to Elementary School 1 Malingping.
Behind these findings, Musa accused there being systematic corrupt practices, ranging from price inflation to the distribution of meals that are not fit for consumption.
“I strongly condemn the haphazard distribution of MBG. We found rotten fruit, dried and mouldy dates. It is ironic that a programme aimed at improving nutrition is actually endangering health,” said Musa.
The indication of maladministration is shown by the scheme of distributing food for three days at once. “If the food is given at once for three days, a big question arises: where did the costs for renting the kitchen and operations for the remaining two days go? This is not just a technical issue, but there is a real potential for state losses.”
This practice is considered unusual because each MBG package includes the cost of renting a kitchen and providing daily containers. Musa believes that the current MBG programme has become a new loophole for certain individuals to engage in ‘banquet’ or collective corruption. He analysed that there is a suspicion of price inflation of an average of IDR 2,000 per student compared to market prices.
“The bread and biscuit menus served are products sold in small shops, but they are priced much higher,” said Musa.
If this continues, he said, it means that there is collusion between the head of the service unit, the accountant, and the owner of the kitchen vendor/foundation.
Musa observed that the MBG task force at the district/city and sub-district levels is not functioning, so complaints from the public and parents are ignored.
“The results of cutting the nutritional rights of school children are not just corruption, but it is also illegal if the menus served do not meet specifications,” he said.
Therefore, he urged the National Nutrition Agency (BGN) to be evaluated thoroughly before there is greater waste of the state budget. “Don’t just provide formal reports to the president without looking at the bitter facts on the ground,” said Musa.
As a representative of the party in the region, Musa said that he had informed the leadership of the Banten Provincial DPRD to summon the relevant service units. He also said that he had informed the DPRD of Lebak Regency about the findings in the field regarding the rotten, mouldy, and stale MBG.
“I will report (criminally) to law enforcement officials,” said Musa. The Lebak DPRD will also report the findings in the field regarding the problematic MBG to the BGN.