Domestic MBG Programme Refinement Must Precede Jeddah Expansion

The Association of Business Owners and Managers of Indonesia’s Free Nutrition Program (APPMBGI) has urged the government to prioritise refining the Makan Bergizi Gratis (MBG) programme domestically before expanding services to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. APPMBGI believes strengthening quality, oversight, and equitable distribution of the programme in 3T (remote, border, and underdeveloped) regions remains a key task to address. Abdul Rivai Ras, Chairman of the APPMBGI Central Executive Board, said the association supports the government’s vision to extend MBG benefits to Indonesian children abroad. However, he stated that current domestic implementation is not yet ready for international expansion. ‘We fully support the government’s vision to expand the Free Nutrition Programme, including for Indonesian children overseas. However, with nearly 30% of MBG kitchens previously suspended and over 2,200 still frozen, alongside limited coverage in remote areas, expanding to Jeddah appears premature,’ Abdul Rivai stated in Jakarta on Monday, 1 June. He also stressed the government must ensure domestic programme success before expanding overseas to maintain public trust in sustainability. ‘We must prove success in Indonesia first before moving abroad,’ he said. According to data from the National Nutrition Agency (BGN), out of approximately 27,208 MBG kitchens operating since January 2025, 8,182 have faced suspension sanctions due to various violations. Violations include food poisoning incidents, suspected markup of raw material prices, and non-compliance with hygiene standards and Health and Sanitation Compliance Certificates (SLHS). By end-May 2026, 2,213 kitchens remained suspended. Abdul Rivai also noted that equitable service distribution in 3T regions remains unresolved. He said children in the most stunting-prone areas still face limited access to the MBG programme. ‘In 3T regions, children most vulnerable to stunting still lack adequate access. It’s not just about the number of kitchens, but nutritional quality, food safety, and distribution sustainability remain major challenges,’ he said. He added that international expansion should occur only after the government has a successful model in remote domestic areas. ‘International expansion should follow a proven pilot model in remote regions,’ he said. As a strategic government partner, APPMBGI stated readiness to assist in strengthening MBG programme governance. The organisation advocates for enhancing kitchen operator capacity, improving oversight and supply chain transparency, and developing specialised kitchen models for 3T regions tailored to logistics and infrastructure challenges. Abdul Rivai further urged the National Nutrition Agency to consider these recommendations to maximise the MBG programme’s impact on reducing stunting and improving Indonesia’s human capital. (Dev/P-3) Strengthening nutrition programme governance is deemed crucial for maintaining food quality, child health, and public trust. The success of the Free Nutrition Programme is not solely measured by food distribution reach to students, but also by daily food safety standards. APPMBGI views the MoreFood Expo Indonesia 2026 as a strategic opportunity to bolster the national food supply chain and industry competitiveness. Governance and distribution system enhancements continue to ensure the programme operates optimally, transparently, and sustainably across Indonesia. Hashim Djojohadikusumo has been officially appointed as APPMBGI’s Adviser Chairman to strengthen nationwide implementation of the Free Nutrition Programme. BGN recorded 8,182 Free Nutrition Programme kitchens suspended due to nutritional quality issues, infrastructure problems, and operational mismanagement. The National Nutrition Agency revealed a fraud case involving the sale of location points for Free Nutrition Programme kitchens in East Lombok, causing losses of IDR 950 million. The MBG programme embodies the nation’s commitment and care for future generations. According to him, the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) conducted a corruption prevention study on MBG programme governance via its Monitoring Directorate in 2025. The government reduced the 2026 Free Nutrition Programme budget to IDR 268 trillion for efficiency.