Facts Surrounding Raw Catfish in Ramadan Free Meal Programme Menu
The free nutritious meal distribution programme (MBG) came under scrutiny after raw catfish was distributed to beneficiaries at State Senior High School 2 Pamekasan, East Java. The marinated raw catfish, which remained uncooked, was part of the Ramadan edition of the MBG programme.
The common kitchen distributing the raw catfish was the Pamekasan Pademawu Buddagan Nutrition Fulfilment Service Unit. A total of 1,022 portions of raw catfish accompanied by two pieces of tempeh and tofu were rejected by the school.
School Deems Raw Catfish MBG Unsuitable for Consumption
The head of State Senior High School 2 Pamekasan, Moh Arifin, stated that the free meal comprising raw catfish was unfit for consumption. The catfish distributed would spoil rapidly, he said.
“It is estimated to spoil around noon and contaminate the other food,” he said on Tuesday, 10 March 2026.
He stated that the school rejected the raw catfish MBG menu because it prioritised children’s safety. SMAN 2 Pamekasan declined the free meal allocation for three days due to inadequate food quality.
Arifin even reported discovering live catfish inside the MBG package containers. “The proof is the catfish is still raw; its whiskers are even still intact,” he said.
Nutrition Service Unit’s Explanation on Raw Catfish Menu
The nutritionist at Pamekasan Pademawu Buddagan SPPG, Fikri Kuttawakil, deemed the use of marinated raw catfish to have been considered from nutrition and food sustainability perspectives. According to him, raw catfish was deliberately distributed to avoid reducing the nutritional value of the food.
“And to add protein that day. Marinating allows the catfish to remain fresh for a full day,” said Fikri.
The common kitchen serves a total of 3,329 beneficiaries daily. The beneficiary count comprised senior secondary school students, junior secondary school students, pre-school and kindergarten students, special education students, educators, as well as pregnant women, nursing mothers, and infants across Pamekasan, East Java.
Head of National Nutrition Agency: Raw Catfish Menu Violates Guidelines
The head of the National Nutrition Agency (BGN), Dadan Hindayana, stated that the free meal distribution comprising raw catfish did not conform with provisions in the technical guidelines. The Ramadan MBG menu should comprise dry or ready-to-eat food, he said. “The raw catfish MBG menu violates technical guidelines,” he said on Tuesday, 10 March 2026.
This is also regulated in the Ramadan Free Meal Programme 2025 Implementation Guidelines document. The policy states that fasting-specific MBG menus must comprise light, practical, and long-lasting foods such as shredded meat, dates, boiled eggs, or durable fruits.
Meanwhile, the Deputy Head of BGN Nanik Sudaryati Deyang stated that the raw catfish menu was intended to be fried when breaking the fast. “That is taken home and fried at home,” she said on Tuesday, 10 March 2026.
Nanik stated that every menu in the free meal project had been planned considering nutritional balance and food safety standards. She said field reports showed that the MBG menu packages prepared by the common kitchen comprised not only marinated raw catfish.
According to her, there were other components such as boiled eggs, tempeh, tofu, pizza bread, full-cream milk, and dragon fruit in the package. “However, in the video circulating, only part of the menu is visible because the school rejected removing the meal package from the distribution vehicle,” she said.