MBG-TV Plan Seen as Wasteful and a Public Relations Exercise

The National Coordinator of the Indonesian Education Monitoring Network, Ubaid Matraji, strongly criticised the government’s plan to launch MBG-TV. He argued that the policy is insensitive to urgent issues on the ground, especially regarding cases of food poisoning in schools and weak program oversight.

“The MBG-TV plan is not just a waste of money, but an insult to public common sense,” Ubaid said in a written statement on Thursday, 26 February 2026.

According to him, amid a series of reports of unhygienic food and perceived lax oversight, the government is instead choosing to build its own broadcasting channel.

He called the move a form of image laundering to cover up various problems arising from the free nutritious meal program (MBG). Ubaid also condemned the plan to use public funds to establish MBG-TV.

Ubaid questioned the urgency of establishing a dedicated television channel when the substantive issues of the program on the ground have not yet been resolved. He sarcastically asked whether the channel would later broadcast live cases of student food poisoning or detail the flow of funds from the centre to the regions.

“This TV will only be a tool to divert attention from the poor oversight and potential corruption in food procurement,” he said.

He also highlighted the potential use of public frequencies for the promotion of a single government program. According to Ubaid, this step risks creating one-way communication that closes off space for public criticism. “Using public frequencies to promote a single government program is an arrogant act,” he said.

While the public is questioning the transparency and accountability of the budget, he said, the government should strengthen the oversight system and open up participatory access to information, rather than building a communication channel that is seen as only displaying the positive side of the program.

As of the time of this report, there has been no official explanation from the relevant parties regarding the details of the concept, budget, and management mechanisms of MBG-TV. Tempo has tried to contact the Head of the National Nutrition Agency (BGN), Dadan Hindayana, regarding the plan to establish MBG-TV.

Based on information reported by various media outlets, MBG-TV will broadcast in 13 provinces. According to a statement by the Head of the National Nutrition Agency, Dadan Hindayana, as reported by Kompas.com, Dadan said that the establishment of MBG-TV was an initiative from the general public. He denied that MBG-TV was part of the formal structure of the BGN.