Deputy Minister Says Prabowo Orders Comprehensive Overhaul of Free Nutritious Meal Programme

Deputy Minister of Industry (Wamenperin) Faisol Riza has stated that the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) programme is a noble and important initiative from a philosophical standpoint and the state’s obligation to vulnerable groups. However, the government is currently conducting a comprehensive evaluation, including recalculating the fiscal burden on the state budget. Faisol noted that various public criticisms are not aimed at the programme’s noble objectives, but rather highlight aspects of operational management in the field. This includes distribution governance, implementation processes, and verification of the food quality received by children. “I believe even the critics feel that fundamentally, the MBG programme is not wrong, but what has been observed so far is the management, governance, process, and then the quality verification, and so on,” Faisol said in a podcast broadcast on Hendri Satrio’s YouTube channel, quoted on Tuesday. Responding to these dynamics, Faisol welcomed the tactical move by President Prabowo Subianto, who has instructed the new Head of the National Nutrition Agency (BGN), Nanik S. Deyang, to carry out a total overhaul of the programme’s management system. “The President is now tasking the new BGN head with fixing everything, evaluating, including the fiscal burden borne by the state,” Faisol explained. He added that this evaluation is not intended to stop the programme, but to ensure that budget efficiency runs parallel with accurate targeting at the grassroots level. “The MBG will certainly be evaluated, but I think there is little debate that the MBG programme is very important for us,” he continued. Besides highlighting fiscal burdens and micro-management, Faisol underscored the importance of periodically adjusting and diversifying the food menu. The formulation of various nutritional intakes must be aligned with the contemporary nutritional needs of today’s children, which differ from past consumption patterns. The government hopes that through a variety of nutritious and hygienic menus, the programme can effectively intervene in the physical growth and intellectual development of the nation’s future generations.