Government and DPR Strengthen Oversight and Safety of Free Nutritious Meals Programme

The National Nutrition Agency (BGN) head, Sudaryono, has affirmed that the government is continuing to tighten oversight and safety in the implementation of the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) programme across various regions.

Strengthened supervision is carried out by ensuring that every Nutrition Service Fulfilment Unit (SPPG) meets the established standards, while taking firm action against kitchens deemed unable to maintain food quality and safety for beneficiaries.

“If it cannot be fixed, we will close it permanently. I have already closed perhaps 800, and yesterday I closed 500 more, so I have closed 1,300 during my three weeks as head,” said Sudaryono.

The head of the National Nutrition Agency stated that the closure of SPPGs that fail to comply with regulations is part of efforts to protect MBG beneficiaries.

The government will not grant special treatment to any particular kitchen if violations of standards are found that could endanger the health and safety of beneficiaries.

“I do not care who owns the SPPG, I do not look at that. I look at the system. If it does not meet the standards in my system, then with a heavy heart I must close it permanently. My aim is to protect the SPPG partners who have been working well all this time,” Sudaryono explained.

According to Sudaryono, tightening the performance of SPPGs will continue in order to improve the quality of MBG implementation.

From the evaluations conducted, the government is also seeking to learn best practices from SPPGs that have succeeded in maintaining food safety. Currently, around 27,000 SPPGs are said to be working well in supporting the programme’s implementation.

“So we learn from the success of SPPGs. One of them is the SPPG managed by Bhayangkari from the National Police, which uses test kits and to date has not had a single case of poisoning,” Sudaryono said.

Strengthened oversight has also drawn attention from the president of the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), Almuzzammil Yusuf. He assured that PKS will continue to oversee the implementation of MBG so that it runs effectively, efficiently and on target, while providing maximum benefits to the public.

According to him, the nutrition fulfilment programme has a strategic objective in improving the quality of Indonesia’s human resources.