Investors Fume as SPPG Kitchens Remain Idle Despite Construction; Palace Says BGN Undertaking Total Overhaul

The government has acknowledged that the National Nutrition Agency (BGN) is conducting a thorough evaluation and overhaul of the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) programme’s governance, amid mounting protests from investors and partners of the Nutrition Fulfilment Service Units (SPPG) who complain that MBG kitchens remain non-operational despite being built with billions of rupiah in investment. Head of the Government Communication Office, Muhammad Qodari, stated that the newly appointed BGN chief, Nanik S Deyang, is currently focusing on comprehensive improvements to programme governance, including the management and allocation of MBG kitchens which form the backbone of the programme’s execution. “I spoke briefly with Ibu Nanik as the BGN head during the inauguration. Indeed, Bu Nanik’s focus is on comprehensive reform and management,” Qodari said at the Communication Office in Central Jakarta on Wednesday, 10 June 2026. According to Qodari, one of the key aspects under scrutiny is the allocation arrangement and implementation of governance for the MBG kitchens that have already been built by partners in various regions. “And one of the main points is regarding the allocation and implementation of governance for the existing kitchens,” he said. The statement came after a number of investors and SPPG partners visited the BGN office in the Menteng area of Central Jakarta on Monday, 8 June 2026. They demanded clarity on the fate of the investments they had made to build MBG kitchens, including in frontier, remote, and disadvantaged regions. The investors’ frustration was triggered by the condition of several kitchens that were reportedly completed around seven months ago, yet have yet to obtain operational certainty. This situation has raised concerns about the sustainability of the investments they have disbursed. Qodari acknowledged that the evaluation process being carried out by the BGN is not easy, as the previous programme was already running and involved many partners who had already spent significant capital to prepare supporting facilities. “Indeed, it is not an easy matter because the process that has run so far has also involved partners who have prepared land, possibly renovated buildings, and carried out physical construction. But again, there must be a point where the evaluation has to be completed first,” he said.