MBG Partners Protest Holiday Policy Without Rp 6 Million Daily Incentive, Here's BGN's Response

The National Nutrition Agency (BGN) has decided not to distribute Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) to beneficiaries during holiday periods. During this time, the incentive of Rp 6 million per day for each nutrition fulfilment service unit (SPPG) will also not be paid.

Deputy Head of BGN Agustina Arumsari stated that the policy, based on BGN Head Circular Letter Number 12 of 2026, was made in the interest of efficiency. Consequently, BGN decided to stop the distribution of MBG during holiday periods, including school holidays, to all beneficiaries.

‘Yes, a policy cannot possibly please all parties, but we look at the objective of the programme and then we consider budget efficiency,’ she said in response to criticism from MBG partners regarding the policy on Thursday (18/6/2026).

She assessed that the policy was implemented for the greater good of the MBG programme, namely budget efficiency. This means the policy was not created to please certain parties, including MBG partners. Arumsari added that the policy only halts the operations of the nutrition fulfilment service units (SPPG) for 18 days. Meanwhile, SPPGs will continue to operate on other days.

‘So, it feels fair that when they are not operating, they are not given the incentive. No service, no pay, so to speak. That is something that is indeed reasonable,’ she said.

If partners are clashing this policy with the technical guidelines (juknis) issued by BGN, Arumsari stated that her agency is currently making improvements. Moreover, there are a number of technical guidelines that were made to benefit certain parties in the previous period.

‘Now, if the context is, ’Oh, but yesterday the technical guidelines were like this’. Well, once again, that falls into the realm of policies where such technical guidelines were born, perhaps because there was a conflict of interest from those parties who happen to also own SPPGs,’ she said.

‘That, in the context of the greater interest, which is budget efficiency, it does not make sense to pay something like Rp 6 million per day when the service is not provided. That is probably it. And we are certainly the party that does not accept that,’ she added.