Presidential Staff Office to Tighten Oversight of MBG, Ensure No Sale of Distribution Points

Jakarta — The Chief of Staff to the President, General (Ret.) Dudung Abdurahman, said that improvements are ongoing in the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) Programme, with the Presidential Staff Office (KSP) participating in tight oversight, including ensuring that no one sells the distribution points. In a press conference in Jakarta on Tuesday, Dudung Abdurahman explained that he had met today with the Head of the National Nutrition Agency (BGN), Dadan Hindayana, to report on the current situation and the mechanism for implementing the MBG Programme.

‘I told him that the KSP will tightly guard and oversee the President’s flagship programme. Therefore, there must be no individuals who sell the points or manipulate it for gain,’ Dudung said.

He stated that oversight is necessary so that the MBG programme is implemented in accordance with the President’s directives and is not misused by certain parties. He reminded that no one should abuse this programme for private interests.

In response, the BGN also asked for help in supervising MBG, given that the Nutrition Fulfilment Service Unit (SPPG) is spread across Indonesia.

Dudung said that before meeting with the BGN, he was also summoned by Vice President Gibran Rakabuming to discuss improvements to MBG implementation.

‘Thus nutrition experts were brought in, truly experts in mastering kitchen issues. Therefore, for future improvements the issue concerns BGN. Hopefully this will continue to improve because this is a Presidential priority programme that we must support,’ he said.

Specifically, he reminded that MBG plays an important role in improving Indonesian children’s nutrition. MBG is not merely the provision of food, but part of investing in the nation’s human resources.

‘This is a Presidential priority programme that we must support. The programme is highly beneficial for our children. Therefore its implementation must continue to be improved, overseen, and ensured to be targeted,’ said Dudung Abdurahman.