BGN Chief Unfazed by TNI-Polri Involvement in Free Nutritious Meals Programme

Head of the National Nutrition Agency (BGN) Dadan Hindayana has responded to the involvement of the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) and the National Police (Polri) in the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) programme. He stated that this should not be a matter of contention. According to him, all parties can be involved in the implementation of the MBG programme. He noted that the BGN is not working alone in executing one of President Prabowo Subianto’s priority programmes, but is collaborating with various partners. “In my opinion, the point is this: it is the same as in agriculture, which I have dealt with all this time, involving everyone. The essence is the principle of the objective,” he said when asked about the involvement of the TNI-Polri in the MBG programme at the BGN Building on Wednesday (22/7/2026). Dadan cited an example from his previous role as Deputy Minister of Agriculture, where he involved the TNI and Polri to handle issues in the agricultural sector. At that time, the TNI and Polri were deployed to distribute 70,000 water pumps to farmers during the dry season. “Why? Because there was no budget. So the point is, I do not wish to comment further, but the essence is that all parties must work out how this thing can be implemented properly,” he said. In addition to meeting the nutritional needs of children, the MBG programme must also have an economic impact at the local level. This is because the programme also empowers local micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), farmers, and livestock breeders. Citing the BGN website, the MBG programme is a national programme implemented across sectors involving dozens of ministries and agencies. This cross-sector involvement is regulated in the BGN Head Decree No. 401.1 of 2025 concerning Technical Guidelines for the Governance of the MBG Programme for the 2026 Fiscal Year. The synergy between ministries and agencies includes policy support, budgeting, supervision, and technical implementation in the field. This collaboration is an important foundation to ensure that MBG governance runs according to standards, national targets, and the principles of accountability. In addition to civilian ministries and agencies, the BGN also involves elements of the TNI and Polri to support the operational aspects of the MBG programme. The involvement of the TNI-Polri is focused on assistance, security of distribution, and operational support in the regions. It is known that the involvement of the TNI and Polri extends beyond this. The two institutions also manage thousands of Nutritional Fulfilment Service Units (SPPG). As of September last year, the TNI had reportedly operated 452 SPPGs, while the Polri had 1,376 SPPGs by May 2026.