BGN States SPPG Heads Violating MBG Procedures Could Face Criminal Charges

REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, SEMARANG – Deputy for Provision and Distribution of the National Nutrition Agency (BGN), Brigadier General TNI (Retd) Suardi Samiran, revealed that his agency is currently socialising legal sanctions against heads of nutrition fulfilment service units (SPPG) who commit violations in the implementation of the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) programme. He stated that if the violations meet criminal criteria, criminal proceedings can be initiated.

Suardi said that every violation by SPPG will be met with sanctions. “We are now socialising legal sanctions and awards to the SPPI (Indonesian Development Driver Graduates) involved in the implementation as SPPG heads,” he said after attending the National Dialogue on Best Practices for Free Nutritious Meals and ASEAN ID-Nourish at Hotel Gumaya in Semarang City, Central Java, on Wednesday (29/4/2026).

When asked further whether these legal sanctions include criminal penalties, Suardi confirmed. “Why not? If it indeed constitutes a criminal act, why not? This is a rule-of-law state; we can’t just do as we please,” he remarked.

He added that so far, BGN has closed SPPG units deemed to have violated procedures in the processing and serving of MBG. “They were closed because they did not meet the established standards. There were deficiencies that had been pointed out but not corrected,” he explained.

Nevertheless, Suardi encouraged local governments to actively participate in overseeing and monitoring the MBG programme’s implementation. “Local governments must be involved because the children being fed are in their areas, not children from Jakarta. Those fed in Semarang are Semarang’s people. Those fed in Ambon are Ambon’s children. So, local governments must get involved,” Suardi stated.

He further noted that departments that can be involved in supervising MBG implementation include health, education, agriculture, and civil registry services. “If they are involved, they will know whether this is being done properly or not in the programme’s execution,” he said.

“Therefore, I hope that regional leaders, since the children being fed are in their areas, will urge mayors and regents to conduct inspections of the SPPG units in their respective regions,” Suardi added.