Natalius Pigai Corrects Mahfud on Free Nutritious Meal Programme: Human Rights Violations Only Through Court Decisions
Jakarta – Human Rights Minister Natalius Pigai has corrected former Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Human Rights Affairs Mahfud MD’s statement regarding mismanagement of the Free Nutritious Meal Programme (MBG) as constituting a human rights violation.
Pigai stated that the proper language in accordance with human rights standards is that improper MBG management will affect the government’s achievement of its obligation to fulfil the right to food.
“Thank you Minister Mahfud. A correction, Professor. I understand your intent. But the correct language according to human rights standards is: Improper MBG management will affect the government’s achievement of its obligation in fulfilling the state obligation to fulfil on human rights need,” Pigai wrote on his X account @NataliusPigai2 on Friday (27 February 2026).
Pigai continued that negligence in programme implementation can be corrected, but violations can result in criminal penalties.
“Process negligence can be corrected but violations can be prosecuted. Because in human rights principles it is only an ongoing process of achieving human rights,” Pigai wrote.
He also stated that Mahfud cannot assert that there is a human rights violation in the implementation of the MBG programme.
“The Professor also cannot state a violation of human rights because human rights violations only occur through court decision. Unless accompanied by the word ‘alleged’,” said Pigai.
Previously, Mahfud had stated that improper management of the MBG programme constitutes a human rights violation.
He made this statement in response to Pigai, who described opposition to the MBG programme, the Rakyat School, and the Red and White Cooperative as actions against human rights.
“True. Whoever obstructs the government’s MBG programme, then the Red and White Cooperative, affordable Rakyat Schools and so on, that means opposing human rights,” said Mahfud, cited from the Mahfud MD Official YouTube channel on Friday.
“But also remember, whoever manages the government unprofessionally, causing corruption and waste here and there, creating imbalance in the use of resources between diplomatic needs and people’s needs, that also violates human rights,” he asserted.
“So do not only talk about feeding people (that is a human right), but improper management is (also) a human rights violation,” said Mahfud.
According to Mahfud, managing a programme arbitrarily, improperly, and corruptly also constitutes a human rights violation.
“That is the norm. Whoever obstructs MBG violates human rights. But whoever manages it arbitrarily and corruptly, also violates human rights,” he said.