BGN: Vice President urges enhancement of food security and distribution in 3T areas for MBG

Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Deputy Head of the National Nutrition Agency (BGN) for Public Communication and Investigation, Nanik Sudaryati Deyang, conveyed directives from Vice President (Wapres) Gibran Rakabuming Raka regarding the strengthening of food safety aspects in the implementation of the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) programme. “Pak Gibran warned that food leftovers should not enter the kitchen, as these leftovers have the potential to become one of the sources of disease,” said Nanik in Jakarta on Monday. The Deputy Head of State specifically also reminded that food leftovers should not re-enter the kitchen because they have the potential to become a source of disease. As a preventive measure, continued Nanik, the Vice President suggested that the cleaning of food leftovers be carried out outside the kitchen to prevent cross-contamination. “He suggested that food leftovers be cleaned outside the kitchen,” she said. Nanik also conveyed the Vice President’s background as a former entrepreneur in the catering sector, which gives him a detailed understanding of kitchen operational standard procedures (SOP). “As a former entrepreneur in the catering field, the Vice President fully understands the SOP of kitchen flow and critical aspects in food safety,” said Nanik. In addition to the safety aspect, the Vice President also asked BGN to accelerate the equitable implementation of the MBG programme, particularly in underdeveloped, frontier, and outermost (3T) areas. This is based on the results of his visits to several provinces in Papua, where the Vice President found that many districts still do not have SPPG. For this reason, BGN is encouraging the involvement of State-Owned Enterprises (BUMNs) in supporting the construction of MBG kitchen infrastructure through corporate social responsibility (CSR) schemes. “It is best for 3T areas to involve BUMNs; from their CSR, it can be used to build kitchens, so it does not have to come from the state budget (APBN) to build kitchens or SPPG,” said Nanik.