Dry MBG Menu in West Lombok Draws Complaints from Residents

Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) dry menu served during Ramadan in Batu Layar village, West Lombok, NTB, has drawn complaints from residents. The menu reportedly contains only four dates, bread, and a small bottle of processed milk. ‘Teachers are complaining, and parents are also complaining,’ said Batu Layar village head Masnun on Thursday (5 March 2026). Masnun said residents have questioned how much of the budget allocated for the Satuan Pelayanan Pemenuhan Gizi (SPPG) is spent per portion. ‘If you ask me about the menu, it’s understandable that people would complain,’ he added. He stressed that the portion should be increased and the nutritional content should be measurable by residents. He said he had voiced residents’ complaints about MBG on several occasions, but SPPG has never responded. ‘There is a district coordinator (Korcam) of SPPG; we want explanations, we want to sit down together, but there is no response,’ Masnun said. Chair of the Lombok Barat MBG Task Force, Saepul Ahkam, said that menus such as eggs and bread are instructions from the National Nutrition Agency (BGN) to be more durable during Ramadan. ‘Yes, this is the central government’s wish (BGN); what can you do,’ Ahkam said. According to Ahkam, nutrition standards and the value of a dry MBG portion have indeed been the focus of several parties. But according to nutritionists and BGN there is nothing wrong with the menu. ‘This is a national case; I am in the national SPPG WhatsApp group. During Ramadan, complaints are generally about similar things,’ Ahkam said. Ahkam said he has gathered all nutritionists about a month ago regarding MBG menus that are frequently criticised. However, for dry menus there is little he can do because SPPG is too closed. ‘Cannot do much. Not exclusive anymore, but very executive,’ said Lombok Barat’s Assistant I of the Regional Secretariat (Setda).