House of Representatives Calls for Strict Oversight of Free Nutritious Meals Programme to Ensure It Reaches Intended Beneficiaries

Bandarlampung (ANTARA) - Member of House of Representatives Commission IX, Rahmawati Herdian, has called for strict oversight of the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) programme initiated by President Prabowo Subianto to ensure its implementation reaches the intended beneficiaries and genuinely improves the nutritional quality of the public.

“Strict oversight of the MBG programme by relevant parties is certainly vital to ensure that implementation on the ground reaches the right targets,” she said in Bandarlampung on Sunday.

According to her, the MBG programme is a strategic government measure in addressing the challenge of malnutrition, which remains an unresolved issue across various regions in Indonesia.

“The MBG is one of the strategic programmes to address the challenge of malnutrition in Indonesia. With proper implementation, this programme can accelerate the improvement of human resource quality,” she said.

She assessed that beyond its impact on improving public nutrition, the programme also has a multiplier effect on local economies.

“The involvement of regional business operators, food suppliers and local workers is considered capable of driving economic growth in the areas where the programme is implemented,” she said.

However, she cautioned that the programme’s success does not depend solely on the central government but also requires collaboration from various parties, including regional governments, foundations and supply partners.

“We hope there will be no further incidents such as food poisoning cases that could harm the programme’s beneficiaries in the future,” she said.

She noted that the poisoning incidents that have occurred must serve as shared evaluation material to improve the governance and oversight systems for food distribution.

“Through evaluation of existing incidents, we must find the best solutions to address various challenges, whether in terms of logistics, funding or human resources,” she said.

She emphasised that strengthening food safety standards and distribution oversight are key to ensuring the MBG programme’s objective of improving public nutritional quality can be achieved optimally.

“Therefore, we call on all stakeholders to jointly safeguard the continuity and quality of the programme’s implementation for the future of a healthier and more competitive Indonesian generation,” she said.