House Proposes Temporary Halt to Free Nutritious Meals Programme During School Holidays

The House of Representatives Commission IX has proposed a temporary suspension of the free nutritious meals (MBG) programme during the school holiday period, scheduled from 29 June to 10 July. The proposal was made by Deputy Chairman of Commission IX, Charles Honoris, in response to findings by the Coordinating Ministry for Food indicating potential budget wastage exceeding Rp1 trillion per month within the programme. Charles deemed the finding an alarm bell and a crucial moment for an immediate evaluation. “In my opinion, the upcoming school holiday momentum can be utilised to temporarily halt the MBG programme while conducting a comprehensive evaluation of its governance,” said Charles on Saturday (13/6). He argued that the suspected wastage in the MBG programme should not be taken lightly, particularly as the government is currently facing fiscal pressures and significant budgetary needs in other sectors. According to Charles, an evaluation must be conducted promptly so the government can objectively review the programme’s implementation thus far. “During the evaluation period, the government needs to audit all operating SPPG kitchens, covering aspects of food safety, food quality, budget efficiency, and procurement governance,” said the PDIP politician. Charles stated that during the evaluation, kitchens proven not to meet standards or those repeatedly causing poisoning incidents must be permanently closed. He reminded that to date, more than 40,000 children have become victims of MBG-related food poisoning. Therefore, safety and service quality must be the top priority. Going forward, he continued, the success parameters of the MBG programme should not be measured solely by the number of beneficiaries or the amount of budget spent. “What is more important is whether this programme genuinely succeeds in improving the nutritional status of children in need, is safe for consumption, and is managed efficiently and accountably,” he said.