Komeng on Free Nutritious Meals: The Programme is Good, but the Execution is Flawed

Regional Representative Council (DPD) member for West Java, Alfiansyah Bustami, widely known as Komeng, has stated that the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) programme has an excellent governance concept and must continue to be supported with optimal and transparent execution on the ground. The senator made the remarks while attending the 2026 Annual Session of the People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR) and the Joint Session of the House of Representatives (DPR) and the DPD at the Parliamentary Complex in Senayan, Jakarta, on Friday. Komeng emphasised that the success of the government’s priority programmes depends heavily on the commitment and integrity of implementing officers at the technical level. “Actually, all of the President’s programmes are good. It is just that the people executing them are not doing it properly. So hopefully those involved now will realise this. Hopefully it will be good, because MBG is indeed good, and the concept is also good,” Komeng said. He expressed hope that the implementation of MBG would improve following the official appointment of Sudaryono as Head of the National Nutrition Agency (BGN). He assessed that improvements and supervision of field implementation are essential so that the programme’s concept can deliver a real impact in line with the government’s original objectives. In addition to addressing the efficiency of the MBG programme, Komeng also highlighted the importance of national food security amid regional geopolitical uncertainty. According to him, Indonesia should be grateful for having adequate food availability so that it does not depend entirely on rice imports. He asserted that national food security must continue to be strengthened so that the basic needs of all citizens can be met independently without relying on foreign supplies. These views were conveyed by Komeng on the sidelines of the 2026 Annual Session series, held to welcome the 81st Anniversary of the Independence of the Republic of Indonesia with the theme “Sovereign, Just, and Prosperous Indonesia”. During the state event, President Prabowo Subianto delivered the Performance Report of State Institutions and the State Address, which was accompanied by a presentation of the government’s performance achievements.