Minister Zulhas Confident Sudaryono Will Swiftly Resolve BGN Challenges

Coordinating Minister for Food Zulkifli Hasan has expressed confidence that Sudaryono will be able to swiftly resolve various challenges at the National Nutrition Agency (BGN) while strengthening the implementation of the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) programme. Zulhas described Sudaryono, who is familiarly known as Mas Dar, as a young, intelligent, open-minded leader with integrity, making him the right person to lead the strategic programmes at BGN. “Congratulations to Mas Dar, a young, intelligent person with a clean heart. God willing, under Mas Dar’s leadership and with support from all of us, the problems at BGN will be resolved in one to two months,” Zulhas said. He made these remarks after a limited coordination meeting on environmental fund management with Environment Minister Jumhur Hidayat and National Development Planning Minister Rachmat Pambudy at the Coordinating Ministry for Food office in Jakarta. Zulhas also congratulated Sudaryono on his appointment as Head of BGN, replacing Nanik S Deyang, and expressed optimism that his leadership would bring progress to the agency. He believes the challenges in implementing the Free Nutritious Meal programme can be resolved gradually so that the benefits of the government’s priority programme are increasingly felt by the public. When asked to assess Sudaryono’s capacity as BGN Head, Zulhas gave high praise, stating that Sudaryono’s leadership qualities deserve full support from all parties. “This is a two thumbs up! Two thumbs up, yes. A young person, open-minded, intelligent, with a clean heart. I am sure the MBG issues will be resolved in one to two months. Congratulations to Mas Dar,” Zulhas said. Previously, Sudaryono stated he was ready to carry out the mandate of optimising the Free Nutritious Meal programme following his appointment by President Prabowo Subianto as Head of BGN. “Pray for me to be trustworthy, pray for my well-being, and I ask for the support of all media colleagues. I promise one thing: I will work as well as possible, work hard as well as possible,” he said. He also confirmed that he would no longer serve as Deputy Minister of Agriculture after being inaugurated as BGN Head, in accordance with regulations prohibiting concurrent positions.