BRIN: MBG Programme Evaluation a Momentum for System Overhaul

Yanu Endar Prasetyo, a researcher at the Population Research Centre of the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), has invited all stakeholders to treat the evaluation of the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) programme as a momentum for the comprehensive improvement of public policy governance.

During an interview at the ANTARA Heritage Centre in Jakarta on Wednesday, Yanu stated that the President’s priority programme essentially possesses very noble intentions and objectives for the wider community. However, he noted that recent implementation obstacles on the ground must be treated as valuable lessons for the government to ensure more mature planning systems.

“Unfortunately, when we encounter mega-corruption today, it certainly serves as a very expensive lesson. From a public policy perspective, there are planning issues that we can certainly evaluate,” he said.

Yanu assessed that the evaluation should not merely focus on the mistakes of one or two individuals, but must instead address the root causes within the system that still contains loopholes. He encouraged a re-mapping of potential conflicts of interest among implementing actors, ranging from the National Nutrition Agency (BGN) and private partners holding Nutrition Fulfilment Service Units (SPPG), to the oversight role of the House of Representatives (DPR).

With a more organised system mapping, he continued, technical field issues such as hygiene and sanitation concerns at SPPG facilities can be prevented as early as possible. This is crucial given that the programme involves a massive scale, involving more than 27,000 kitchens spread across Indonesia to serve millions of beneficiaries.

“This means we can use this as a momentum for a rather radical restructuring. Without caution in planning, supervision, and implementation, this will undoubtedly become a very significant problem in the future,” concluded Yanu Endar Prasetyo.