MBG Programme Spotlighted, KPK Identifies Eight Corruption Risks

Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has provided seven recommendations following the identification of eight potential corruption risks in the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) programme. These findings are detailed in the Appendix to the 2025 Annual Report of the KPK’s Monitoring Directorate, accessed in Jakarta on Friday. The report explains that the MBG programme is supported by a large budget allocation, increasing from Rp71 trillion in 2025 to Rp171 trillion in 2026. “The scale of the programme and its budget has not yet been matched by an adequate regulatory framework, governance, and monitoring mechanisms, thereby posing risks to accountability, conflicts of interest, inefficiencies, and the potential for corruption in its implementation,” states the report. The KPK has revealed eight potential corruption risks in the execution of the MBG programme. First, the implementation regulations are deemed inadequate, particularly in regulating governance from planning to cross-ministerial/institutional and local government oversight. Third, the overly centralised approach with the National Nutrition Agency as the main actor is seen as potentially marginalising the role of local governments and weakening monitoring mechanisms. Fourth, there is a potential for conflicts of interest in determining partners for the Nutrition Fulfilment Service Units (SPPG) or kitchens due to centralised authority and unclear standard operating procedures (SOP). Fifth, transparency and accountability are considered weak, especially in the verification and validation of partners, kitchen location determination, and financial reporting. Seventh, food safety oversight is deemed suboptimal due to limited involvement of health agencies and the Food and Drug Supervisory Agency (BPOM). Eighth, there are no measurable success indicators for the programme, either short-term or long-term, and no initial baseline measurement of nutritional status and beneficiary achievements. In response to these findings, the KPK recommends the preparation of comprehensive and binding MBG implementation regulations, at least at the level of a Presidential Regulation, to regulate planning, execution, oversight, and the division of roles across ministries/institutions and local governments. Other recommendations include implementing a collaborative approach by strengthening the role of local governments, clarifying SOPs and service standards in partner selection, and ensuring the selection process is conducted transparently and accountably. The KPK also encourages strengthening food safety oversight through active involvement of health agencies and BPOM, as well as building a standard financial reporting system to prevent deviations. Additionally, the KPK emphasises the importance of establishing measurable programme success indicators, accompanied by initial measurements as a basis for ongoing evaluation of the programme’s impact.