Suara Ibu Activist Once Intimidated for Criticising MBG
Suara Ibu Indonesia activist Kalis Mardiasih claims she experienced intimidation after criticising the implementation of the free nutritious meals (MBG) programme in January 2026. The pressure, she said, targeted not only her on social media but also her relatives.
“I spoke up, I wrote on Instagram and Facebook,” said Kalis during a public discussion titled “Free Nutritious Meals and Education” organised online by the Yayasan Bantuan Lembaga Hukum Indonesia on Monday, 4 May 2026.
According to Kalis, her relatives also faced pressure after she shared on social media that they had received MBG. The incident occurred around November 2025, a few days after a mass poisoning case in West Bandung Regency, West Java.
Kalis feels she has become a target of terror for criticising the MBG programme in public spaces. However, amid the prevalence of poisoning cases due to MBG, she hopes for expressions of concern or apologies from the government. She also hopes for steps to be taken to prevent such incidents from recurring.
The civil society group “Suara Ibu Indonesia” focuses on women’s and children’s welfare issues. The group once held a symbolic “gebrak panci” action in the Gadjah Mada University area in mid-2025 as a form of protest against the mass poisoning case in West Bandung, which at the time affected nearly 2,000 victims.
According to Kalis, nearly a year has passed without clarity on evaluation mechanisms or accountability for these cases. “We have never heard of even one name being held accountable,” she said.
She also revealed that similar cases have occurred not only in West Bandung but also in several other regions such as Blora, Pati, Kudus, Grobogan, and Yogyakarta.
Kalis also criticised the design and governance of the MBG programme. She assessed that there is no clear oversight mechanism, either in terms of food safety or distribution. This, according to her, has raised concerns among parents.
“As a mother, children should go to school feeling safe. But now there is worry because of this programme,” she said.
Tempo has requested a response from the Head of the National Nutrition Agency (BGN) Dadan Hindayana regarding the alleged intimidation experienced by Kalis. However, as of this report, Dadan has not provided a response.