Director General of Corrections Confirms Dozens of Prisons Will Manage Free Nutritious Meals
JAKARTA – The Director General of Corrections (Dirjenpas) Mashudi stated that there are 36 kitchens for the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) programme being constructed on correctional institution land scattered across various regions in Indonesia, ready to operate by the end of May 2026.
“Hopefully by the end of May (they will operate). Currently, there are 18 (sites) plus another 18, making 36 kitchens that have been worked on and built. They will be operational by the end of May,” Mashudi said in Jakarta on Thursday.
According to Mashudi, the Ministry of Immigration and Correctional Services (Kemenimipas) is supporting the MBG programme by facilitating prison land as sites for building MBG kitchens or Nutrition Fulfilment Service Units (SPPG).
Dirjenpas has received 70 sites for MBG kitchens. Of these, 36 locations are under construction and ready to operate this year.
He explained that the MBG kitchens are built outside the prison compounds or within prison land. It is ensured that under this programme, the National Nutrition Agency (BGN) pays rental fees deposited into the state treasury as Non-Tax State Revenue (PNBP).
“So there are (MBG kitchens), we have obtained 70 MBG kitchen sites, which will be located at prisons, outside the prison compounds, built according to regulations. They (BGN) pay PNBP, the land rental must be paid,” he explained.
In addition to providing land for rent as MBG kitchen locations, Dirjenpas also supports the MBG kitchens by providing kitchen staff involving inmates.
Of the 46 MBG kitchen workers, 26 are professionals and the remaining 20 are inmates (WBP).
Mashudi emphasised that the inmates employed in the MBG kitchens have undergone strict selection and assessment, including good health conditions.
“The workers will number 46 people, with 26 professionals and 20 from inmates who have been assessed as capable of working in the kitchen to serve MBG,” he said.
Mashudi stated that his office proposed utilising prison land for MBG kitchens, submitting a total of 119 locations from 627 prisons and detention centres across Indonesia, with only 36 approved so far.
“Currently, the construction progress of the kitchens is 90 percent. Hopefully, they will operate by the end of May. The kitchen facilities and infrastructure are built to BGN standards, using only prison land and with half the workers from inmates,” Mashudi said.
The locations of the MBG kitchens on prison land are spread across several regions, he said, such as Sumatra, Sulawesi, and other provinces.
Based on gathered data, MBG kitchens in prisons have already operated at Sukamiskin Prison as a pilot project, while construction is ongoing at Batulicin Prison in South Kalimantan, followed by Bengkulu Prison.
Previously, Minister of Immigration and Correctional Services Agus Andrianto expressed support for implementing the MBG programme by involving inmates and using correctional technical implementing unit (UPT) kitchen facilities that meet cleanliness, food safety, and hygiene standards.
Agus explained that currently, 469 kitchens in prisons and detention centres in Indonesia have hygiene certificates. Meanwhile, 754 inmates have been certified or have undergone technical training in food service.