BGN Temporarily Closes 62 Nutrition Service Units Over Defective Free Meal Menu Programme

The head of the National Nutrition Agency (BGN), Dadan Hindayana, has temporarily halted operations at 62 Nutrition Service Units (SPPG) for breaching the meal presentation regulations of the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) programme.

Dadan stated that the suspension of these dozens of SPPG facilities followed the discovery that the MBG programme was not being implemented in accordance with regulations established in the BGN’s technical guidelines.

“There are 62 SPPG that we have temporarily closed because they are not providing compliant menus. Both inadequate minimalist menus and poor-quality menus,” he told reporters at the Attorney General’s Office on Tuesday, 17 March.

Dadan emphasised that the 62 non-compliant SPPG units represent only a small portion of the total 25,000 SPPG units currently operating. He affirmed that the suspension was implemented to prevent future violations by SPPG facilities.

“After all, the vast majority are implementing things well. So we want those 62 to become progressively smaller,” he said.

Furthermore, Dadan stated that enforcement against the SPPG units would not proceed directly through criminal prosecution. Rather, enforcement would be conducted in stages through the issuance of warning letters up to permanent closure.

“First, of course, there is a first warning letter, then a second warning letter, followed by temporary closure, and we provide the opportunity to rectify matters. Should they repeat the violation, it is not out of the question that they could face permanent closure,” he explained.

Nevertheless, Dadan stated that should budget misappropriation in the MBG programme be discovered, criminal prosecution would not be ruled out.

“For now we are focusing more on guidance and capacity-building. So that everyone involved works as well as possible, works as optimally as possible, works as effectively as possible, and properly accounts for every rupiah received,” he said.