National Nutrition Agency Permanently Closes 504 Unsanitary Free Nutritious Meal Kitchens

Jakarta (ANTARA) - The National Nutrition Agency (BGN) has permanently closed 504 kitchens serving the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) programme, effective until 10 August 2026, as part of a commitment to tightening food safety standards in the national priority programme. The Nutrition Fulfilment Service Units (SPPG) were shut down after being declared unfit in terms of sanitation, based on reports from local health agencies submitted through the Ministry of Health. “There are 504 kitchens that we have permanently closed because they were declared not fit for sanitation purposes,” said BGN Head Sudaryono, known as Mas Dar, during a Special Coordination Meeting with the Minister of Home Affairs and regional heads across Indonesia in Jakarta on Thursday. Mas Dar stated that in addition to the 504 closed kitchens, approximately 3,000 other kitchens are currently being inspected by their respective regional health agencies. “The remaining roughly 3,000 have registered and are now being checked by the local health agencies. We are waiting, and if they are found to be unfit, then we are sorry, but this is a matter of someone’s life, the lives of our children, and we cannot compromise on that,” he said. He added that the BGN appreciates the regional governments’ assistance in supervising and handling food safety issues within the MBG programme. He also stressed that the agency applies a zero-tolerance policy towards any poisoning cases in the programme’s implementation. “We express our appreciation and gratitude from the BGN. In essence, we also want to emphasise that our desire is for zero tolerance towards any future poisoning cases,” he said.