The Long History of Milk as an Animal Protein Source in Indonesia

It is undeniable that the controversy surrounding animal milk, particularly cow’s milk, remains an ongoing topic of discussion and debate. It may be useful to examine the historical origins of the enduring term ‘4 Sehat 5 Sempurna’ (Four Healthy, Five Perfect), introduced around 1950 by Professor Poorwo Soedarmo. The term was inspired by the US ‘Basic Four’ slogan of the 1940s, which consisted of staple foods, side dishes, vegetables, fruits, and milk to complete the meal. The Nutrition Guide for Balanced Diet, agreed upon at the 1992 World Food Conference in Rome, was believed to address both undernutrition and overnutrition challenges. In Indonesia, this principle is known as the Balanced Nutrition Guidelines, which took 22 years to be formally enacted under Health Minister Regulation No. 41 of 2014. The fundamental difference between the ‘4 Sehat 5 Sempurna’ slogan and the Balanced Nutrition Guidelines is that daily food consumption must contain nutrients in types and quantities (portions) appropriate for each individual or age group. Food consumption must adhere to four principles: dietary diversity, clean living habits, physical activity, and regular weight monitoring to maintain a healthy body weight. Animal protein sources include a 40g portion of fresh fish, providing 50 calories, 7g protein, and 2g fat—equivalent to 35g beef, one egg, 35g fresh shrimp, or 200ml cow’s milk. In nutrition science, this is termed a ‘food exchange unit’—not a supplement, let alone a ‘perfecting’ element. He nearly lost his deputy position at the National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas) for opposing milk distribution programmes. However, his evidence-based arguments were unassailable, even by President Suharto. Despite his official role, Soekirman remained stubborn in defending appropriate nutrition policies. During Ginandjar Kartasasmita’s tenure at Bappenas, the Wives of Ministers’ Association pushed for milk inclusion in school feeding programmes. President Suharto directed Ginandjar to implement this, prompting Ginandjar to task Soekirman and his team with reviewing the proposal. Soekirman insisted that milk was neither practical nor essential in nutrition programmes. Its high cost and import dependency, coupled with the risk of diarrhoea due to poor water and environmental hygiene, made it unsuitable.