Ponorogo Residents Rally in Support of Free Nutritious Meals Programme, Demand Evaluation Not Termination

Hundreds of residents from Ponorogo, East Java, comprising workers from the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) service units (SPPG), farmers, livestock breeders, fishermen, and micro, small, and medium enterprise (UMKM) operators, held a peaceful demonstration in front of the Ponorogo Regional House of Representatives (DPRD) building on Thursday (2/7). They urged the government not to terminate the MBG programme amidst a corruption scandal that has implicated seven suspects within the National Nutrition Agency (BGN). The protesters demanded that the government conduct a thorough evaluation of the programme’s implementation rather than halting it entirely.