Sudaryono: 'Indonesia is Bright', No Need for Closed-Door Meetings in Free Nutritious Meal Programme

Head of the National Nutrition Agency (BGN) Sudaryono has stressed that the implementation of the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) programme will be carried out openly and transparently. He assured that there will be no more closed meetings or covert decision-making regarding the national priority programme. The affirmation was made by Sudaryono after being inaugurated by President Prabowo Subianto as Head of BGN at the State Palace in Jakarta. According to him, open governance is an essential requirement for the MBG programme to run accountably and gain public trust. “I said earlier, if people are whispering, holding secret meetings, one-on-one, enough of that, let’s be open. Indonesia is bright, there is no need for darkness. Things done in the dark are usually suspicious, I think,” Sudaryono said at the BGN Office in Central Jakarta. He stated that all levels of BGN, partner organisers, and the Nutrition Fulfilment Service Units (SPPG) must work by prioritising the interests of the community. According to him, the success of the MBG is not only determined by the size of the budget, but also by the integrity of all parties involved in its implementation. “I have a principle: love your people and use your common sense. So, we are guided by a good heart, loving the people, loving our fellow human beings, family, relatives, and using common sense,” he said. Sudaryono also asked the public to help oversee the implementation of the MBG by disseminating correct information. He reminded that the programme often becomes a topic of discussion on social media, so the public sphere must be filled with accurate information, not hoaxes or slander. “People then easily create sensations around the MBG theme, it goes viral, perhaps they feel proud. However, my point is, no matter how viral it gets, it is not a problem, but I want it to be reported or uploaded truthfully. If there is a violation, that violation must indeed be true; we must not have hoaxes or slander,” he said. He stressed that any allegation of violation in the implementation of the MBG must be conveyed based on facts and be accountable. Thus, evaluation of the programme can be carried out objectively without causing unrest in the community due to misleading information.