Chronology of Debate between Pigai and Mahfud MD over Free Nutritious Meals Programme and Human Rights Violations

Jakarta — During discussions about the debate between Minister of Human Rights Natalius Pigai and Professor Zainal Arifin Mochtar, Pigai has already engaged in a remote debate with Professor Mahfud MD, a constitutional law expert and former minister.

The chronology of the Pigai versus Mahfud debate began with Pigai’s statement responding to questions about terrorism targeting the Chairperson of the Student Executive Board (BEM) at Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), Tiyo Adrianto.

Subsequently, Mahfud responded to Pigai’s statement. In turn, Pigai responded to Mahfud again.

Here is the chronology of the debate:

Minister of Human Rights Natalius Pigai viewed those who wished to eliminate the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) programme and the Red and White Cooperative as opponents of human rights.

Pigai made this statement whilst responding to journalist questions regarding the UGM Student Executive Board Chairperson, Tiyo Adrianto, who had received threats.

“In the context of human rights, the government is implementing free nutritious meals, free education, people’s schools, free health checks, housing, fishermen’s villages, and food self-sufficiency, which are in line, in harmony, and in accordance with human rights,” Pigai said at the Ministry of Human Rights Building in Jakarta on Friday (20 February 2026).

“Therefore, people who want to eliminate Free Nutritious Meals, Free Health Checks, free education, People’s Schools, Red and White Cooperatives, are people who oppose human rights. People who oppose it,” he added.

“That is correct. Whoever obstructs the government’s programmes for MBG, the Red and White Cooperative, affordable People’s Schools and so on, that means opposing human rights,” he said, as quoted from the Mahfud MD Official YouTube channel on Friday (27 February 2026).

“However, also remember, whichever government manages this country unprofessionally, creating corruption and waste here and there, creating imbalance in the utilisation between diplomatic needs and people’s needs, that also violates human rights,” he stressed.

“So do not only talk about feeding people (as human rights), but improper management of that (is also) a human rights violation,” he explained.

Pigai corrected Mahfud’s statement that unprofessional management of MBG constitutes a human rights violation.