BGN: Not All MBG Problems on Social Media Are True
Deputy Head of the National Nutrition Agency for Communications and Investigations, Nanik Sudaryati Deyang, highlighted a range of issues that frequently surface in public discourse about the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) programme. ‘Some incidents do occur on the ground, but often the narratives become exaggerated and even turn into hoaxes,’ she said at the MBG workshop in Jakarta on Saturday, 7 March 2026.
She cited one MBG menu that had gone viral on social media for allegedly consisting only of noodles and a banana. However, after confirmation with the Nutrition Fulfillment Service Unit (SPPG) and the beneficiary schools, the menu was found to also include chicken.
Another example was a video circulating about objections to MBG at MTs 4 and MAN 8 in Cilincing, North Jakarta. After verification, it was found that there are no schools named MTs 4 or MAN 8 in the Cilincing area.
Nanik also cited several other incidents that had been widely discussed, such as alleged foreign objects in food and mass poisoning in various regions. Investigations showed that these events did not fully align with the narratives circulating on social media.
She said this during the workshop titled Strengthening Communication Strategy and Public Relations Implementation for more than 1,400 Sarjana Penggerak Pembangunan Indonesia (SPPI), consisting of heads of the Nutrition Fulfillment Service Units (SPPG), financial inspectors, and nutrition inspectors in Jakarta, on Saturday, 7 March 2026.
She also referred to a case in Purworejo that was widely discussed and initially linked to MBG, but later investigations showed it related to food consumed at a community wedding.
Nanik stressed that managing food at scale presents its own challenges, particularly ensuring proper cooking and cleanliness standards. Accordingly, all SPPG managers were asked to monitor cooking processes closely to maintain quality and food safety.
‘This is already cooked with this, that, and so on, using modern equipment, yet there is still poisoning, right? Actually, it’s not poisoning; in my view, it’s more about the governance system,’ she said.
Additionally, Nanik highlighted the importance of sanitary standards for eating utensils. In the workshop, she interacted with participants, asking about the use of a water heater in washing ompreng in the SPPG kitchen, as part of efforts to maintain the hygiene of utensils used in the MBG programme.
BGN hopes that SPPI will not only be able to run the programme’s operations effectively but also possess strong communication skills to convey accurate information to the public and counter various misinformation that could affect public trust in the MBG programme.