Expert suggests National Nutrition Agency implement temporary delay for Free Nutritious Meal programme to test system
Communications expert Emrus Sihlaming has proposed that the National Nutrition Agency (BGN) implement a temporary delay or moratorium on the implementation of the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) programme in certain areas to test a more secure system before the programme is fully resumed.
“Three or six months, followed by a pilot project,” Emrus stated in a briefing in Jakarta on Friday.
Emrus noted that through such a pilot project, the government could map the specific needs of each region more precisely. Issues regarding food storage, refrigerator capacity, children’s nutritional requirements, and food ingredient sources must be adjusted to local conditions.
Once such a model is deemed safe and effective, Emrus continued, the system can be implemented more widely. He believes such an approach is essential, as the conditions of every region cannot be treated as identical.
Regarding food processing, Emrus suggested that the government could consider empowering school canteens, Family Welfare Empowerment (PKK) groups, or local eateries that meet the required standards as part of the nutritious food supply ecosystem, rather than centralising everything within the Nutrition Fulfillment Service Units (SPPG).
“Why not provide it to school canteens, PKK mothers, and local food stalls? This would foster local economic empowerment. PKK mothers represent our mothers; they cook with heart, as if their own children were eating,” he said.
Emrus also proposed an alternative in the form of cash transfers for nutritious food needs. According to him, this scheme could reduce the risk of food poisoning while narrowing the gaps for potential irregularities within the food procurement chain.
He argued that this idea remains aligned with President Prabowo Subianto’s original goal for the MBG programme, which is to ensure that the community, particularly children in need, receives proper nutritional intake.
However, Emrus added that a president cannot possibly manage every technical aspect of a programme down to the operational level.
“President Prabowo cannot handle every detail as a leader. He is a general leader. Operational issues lie with the head of the BGN and, of course, the ranks below him,” he said.
Emrus noted that the performance of the Head of the BGN, Sudaryono, is beginning to show serious steps towards improving the implementation of the MBG programme. Nevertheless, Emrus believes that these improvements should be accompanied by more fundamental breakthroughs. The ‘zero tolerance’ policy emphasised by Sudaryono must be truly realised in the field implementation of the MBG.