MBG Watch Reveals Top 5 Foundations with Most Nutrition Units: Police, Muhammadiyah, and Military

MBG Watch Coordinator Media Wahyudi Askar has revealed five foundations that possess the most Nutrition Fulfilment Service Units (SPPG) in the implementation of the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) Programme. The statement was made during a public hearing (RDPU) with House of Representatives Commission IX at the Parliament Complex in Senayan, Jakarta, on Thursday, 16 July 2026. Askar highlighted the exclusion of three community elements from the MBG programme’s implementation: parents, teachers, and posyandu (integrated health post) officers. According to him, these three elements are the parties that best understand children’s nutritional needs and conditions. Askar stated that a proposal for SPPG management to involve schools and communities had actually been submitted to the government before the MBG programme commenced on 6 January 2025. ‘We actually proposed that SPPG be managed by schools and communities before the MBG started. So, if the suggestion is de-commercialisation, that is precisely what should be done,’ Askar said. ‘Because only three entities understand children’s affairs: parents, teachers, and posyandu or puskesmas officers. And involving these three entities was not done,’ he continued. Askar assessed that the government chose to involve foundations as MBG managers due to economic interests that would not be obtained if management were handled by schools or communities. He also alluded to alleged connections between several managers and parties with access to policy-making. ‘I will be to the point, ladies and gentlemen, why was that (involving parents to posyandu) not done? Why go through large vendors? Because if it went through schools or communities, there would be no rent, no Rp 6 million per day, no money received by those large kitchen owners affiliated with policy-makers,’ he said. Furthermore, Askar stated that SPPG owners could not possibly have not yet profited from the programme. According to him, MBG Watch has found alleged budget irregularities carried out through a reduction in food quality. ‘If you conduct a more in-depth interview, they are not waiting two years to break even; they are waiting six months. How? By cutting corners on the food,’ Askar explained.