Sudaryono to Overhaul MBG Governance: 'We Must Be Transparent'

National Nutrition Agency (BGN) Head Sudaryono has revealed that his first focus after being appointed to lead the institution will be governance reform to ensure the agency operates more transparently. He made the statement after chairing his inaugural meeting with BGN officials at the BGN Office in Central Jakarta on Wednesday (22/7/2026). Sudaryono acknowledged that the BGN is currently facing governance issues. “First of all, we are aware, we admit, and we all know that there are problems in our governance. That there have been misappropriations, even legal violations, and also other matters, a lack of transparency that has existed so far,” Sudaryono said. He stressed that he does not want to avoid the existing problems. Instead, all BGN officials are asked to be brave in facing and resolving the issues. “So this must be a concern for me, especially as the new head, so that we can resolve this. We must run into the problem, we must be willing to solve the problem, we cannot run away from the problem,” he stated. According to Sudaryono, one of the main steps to be taken is building a system-based governance structure so that all processes run according to the rules, rather than based on the direction of specific individuals. “What was dark must become light, what was perhaps not transparent must become transparent. What was perhaps manual, dependent on certain persons, must no longer be dependent on persons, it must be by system, trust in system,” he said. He asserted that going forward, all decisions must refer to implementation guidelines, technical guidelines, and institutionally built systems. “If previously everything might have been according to the direction of this person or that person, no more. We follow the implementation guidelines, technical guidelines, rules, and the system we build. We are heading there,” he stressed. Sudaryono acknowledged that the overhaul cannot be done in a short time. Therefore, he is open to all parties, including the media, to provide input to improve BGN’s governance. “I ask for your prayers and support. Of course, this cannot be done overnight and then everything is resolved tomorrow. My team and I are ready to listen to input from anywhere, including from the media,” he added. Sudaryono also affirmed that the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) programme will continue amidst the various problems facing the BGN. He said his party appreciates the various criticisms of the MBG’s implementation. “If, for example, someone in the name of criticism then their criticism is to stop or disband MBG, disband BGN, I think that is not criticism, it is not our domain to stop or disband BGN,” Sudaryono said. He then stressed that MBG is a programme championed by Prabowo since the campaign until he was eventually elected President. “Free Nutritious Meals is President Prabowo’s political tender. It was planned well in advance, delivered during the campaign moments, and then he was elected President,” he stated. Therefore, according to Sudaryono, the BGN’s current focus is not debating the programme’s continuity, but rather fixing governance so that the implementation of MBG improves. “So what we are focusing on is improving governance, providing good and safe nutrition for our children, for pregnant and breastfeeding mothers, and the elderly, and providing a positive effect on the economy, especially in the villages,” he said. He stressed that MBG is a programme intended for the benefit of the wider community. “This is a programme from the people and will be given to the people. Once again, we are listening. I am listening, we are listening,” he said. On the same occasion, Sudaryono said he is open to the public and the media providing input on the implementation of MBG. He even requested that suspected violations in the field be reported immediately. “If, for example, a kitchen is not right, report it immediately. We will investigate directly. We want to uphold what is right,” he said. At the end of his statement, Sudaryono also reminded that criticism of MBG should be based on facts, not hoaxes or slander. “I understand that people easily create sensations with the MBG theme. But I want the truth to be reported or posted. If there is a violation, then that violation is indeed true. Do not let there be hoaxes, slander, or misinterpretation,” he concluded.