Various Cases of Free Nutritious Meal Distribution Failing to Meet Standards
Students at SDN 001 Muara Badak, Kutai Kartanegara, East Kalimantan, received whole coconuts as part of the free nutritious meal programme (MBG). Deputy Head of the National Nutrition Agency (BGN) Nanik Sudaryati Deyang said whole coconuts are not included in the MBG menu under the technical guidelines.
As a result, the BGN temporarily suspended the nutrition fulfilment service unit (SPPG) that distributed the whole coconuts. "The kitchen has been suspended for one week," Nanik said when asked for confirmation on Sunday, 15 February 2026. During the suspension period, free meal services for the school will be taken over by another SPPG.
Cases of MBG distribution failing to meet standards have occurred on several occasions. SPPG Karyasari in Sukaresmi sub-district, Pandeglang, served MBG in plastic bags on Thursday, 8 January 2026. In June 2025, raw ingredient packages were also distributed by an SPPG in South Tangerang to students. The SPPG provided packaged rice, quail eggs, dried fish, peanuts, and fruits including bananas, oranges, and apples. The packages also included UHT milk.
The following are several cases of non-standard MBG distribution:
**1. Raw Ingredients from SPPG Yasmit**
SPPG Yayasan Mualaf Indonesia Timur (Yasmit) served MBG comprising raw ingredients including rice. A total of 4,705 students from 18 schools received the free meal distribution from the SPPG located on Jalan Bulak III No. 55, Cempaka Putih, East Ciputat, South Tangerang, Banten.
Head of SPPG Yasmit, Asfiyah Auliyaillahi Bashiro, said the decision to prepare raw ingredients was intended so that students could take them home. "Considering schools were already on holiday. Teachers were also unable to assist, so parents' representatives collected the items from schools on behalf of their children," Bashiro said in a written message in June 2025.
**2. MBG Served in Plastic Bags**
A video circulated on social media showing MBG served in plastic bags, allegedly by SPPG Karyasari. In the video, a woman displayed two different meal packages received by residents. The food packages contained chicken, what appeared to be porridge, and longan fruit. Another package had a nearly identical composition. The video creator questioned the food's suitability, describing its condition as resembling cat vomit.
Head of SPPG Karyasari in Sukaresmi sub-district, Pandeglang, Dimas Dhika Alpiyan, said the incident occurred on Thursday, 8 January 2026. He stated that the MBG menu that day featured a local wisdom of the archipelago theme. The menu, he said, consisted of lontong (rice cake), fried chicken, peanut sauce, long beans, and longan fruit. The menu was distributed to toddlers, pregnant women, and breastfeeding mothers.
"The menu had been fully cooked and was planned for distribution at midday. However, there was a setback because the long bean vegetables had spoiled and needed to be recooked," he said in a statement on Saturday, 10 January 2026. He explained this caused the distribution schedule to be delayed, with delivery only possible in the afternoon at 4pm.
Dimas said the food was originally planned to be wrapped in ompreng (traditional food containers). However, upon arrival at the location, the staff distributing the food transferred all items into plastic bags due to spontaneity. The driver then returned the empty containers.
**3. MBG with Whole Coconuts**
A video on social media showed the distribution of MBG comprising whole young coconuts to students at SDN 001 Muara Badak. A delivery vehicle bearing the inscription "SPPG MA BADAK" was visible. The covered pickup truck carried dozens of young coconuts which were then distributed one by one to students by teachers.
Head of SPPG Gas Alam Badak 1, Alih Tugas Abdi, explained that the circulating video did not show the complete menu provided by his communal kitchen. He said there was a misunderstanding among the public due to the video. "The video was misinterpreted as though the only fruit the students received was young coconut," he said in a video statement uploaded to the @sppg_gasalambadak1 account, quoted on Sunday, 15 February 2026.
Abdi explained that his kitchen provided two types of menu: dry and wet. The dry menu consisted of whole young coconuts, ambon bread, eggs, and milk. The wet menu comprised white rice, eggs in sweet soy sauce, fried tofu in batter, sautéed carrots and corn, and watermelon.
However, Abdi acknowledged that whole young coconut is not commonly served in the free nutritious meal programme, which affected public perception. "Regarding the viral video incident involving the menu we provided, I and my staff offer our sincere apologies," he said.
As a result, the BGN temporarily suspended the nutrition fulfilment service unit (SPPG) that distributed the whole coconuts. "The kitchen has been suspended for one week," Nanik said when asked for confirmation on Sunday, 15 February 2026. During the suspension period, free meal services for the school will be taken over by another SPPG.
Cases of MBG distribution failing to meet standards have occurred on several occasions. SPPG Karyasari in Sukaresmi sub-district, Pandeglang, served MBG in plastic bags on Thursday, 8 January 2026. In June 2025, raw ingredient packages were also distributed by an SPPG in South Tangerang to students. The SPPG provided packaged rice, quail eggs, dried fish, peanuts, and fruits including bananas, oranges, and apples. The packages also included UHT milk.
The following are several cases of non-standard MBG distribution:
**1. Raw Ingredients from SPPG Yasmit**
SPPG Yayasan Mualaf Indonesia Timur (Yasmit) served MBG comprising raw ingredients including rice. A total of 4,705 students from 18 schools received the free meal distribution from the SPPG located on Jalan Bulak III No. 55, Cempaka Putih, East Ciputat, South Tangerang, Banten.
Head of SPPG Yasmit, Asfiyah Auliyaillahi Bashiro, said the decision to prepare raw ingredients was intended so that students could take them home. "Considering schools were already on holiday. Teachers were also unable to assist, so parents' representatives collected the items from schools on behalf of their children," Bashiro said in a written message in June 2025.
**2. MBG Served in Plastic Bags**
A video circulated on social media showing MBG served in plastic bags, allegedly by SPPG Karyasari. In the video, a woman displayed two different meal packages received by residents. The food packages contained chicken, what appeared to be porridge, and longan fruit. Another package had a nearly identical composition. The video creator questioned the food's suitability, describing its condition as resembling cat vomit.
Head of SPPG Karyasari in Sukaresmi sub-district, Pandeglang, Dimas Dhika Alpiyan, said the incident occurred on Thursday, 8 January 2026. He stated that the MBG menu that day featured a local wisdom of the archipelago theme. The menu, he said, consisted of lontong (rice cake), fried chicken, peanut sauce, long beans, and longan fruit. The menu was distributed to toddlers, pregnant women, and breastfeeding mothers.
"The menu had been fully cooked and was planned for distribution at midday. However, there was a setback because the long bean vegetables had spoiled and needed to be recooked," he said in a statement on Saturday, 10 January 2026. He explained this caused the distribution schedule to be delayed, with delivery only possible in the afternoon at 4pm.
Dimas said the food was originally planned to be wrapped in ompreng (traditional food containers). However, upon arrival at the location, the staff distributing the food transferred all items into plastic bags due to spontaneity. The driver then returned the empty containers.
**3. MBG with Whole Coconuts**
A video on social media showed the distribution of MBG comprising whole young coconuts to students at SDN 001 Muara Badak. A delivery vehicle bearing the inscription "SPPG MA BADAK" was visible. The covered pickup truck carried dozens of young coconuts which were then distributed one by one to students by teachers.
Head of SPPG Gas Alam Badak 1, Alih Tugas Abdi, explained that the circulating video did not show the complete menu provided by his communal kitchen. He said there was a misunderstanding among the public due to the video. "The video was misinterpreted as though the only fruit the students received was young coconut," he said in a video statement uploaded to the @sppg_gasalambadak1 account, quoted on Sunday, 15 February 2026.
Abdi explained that his kitchen provided two types of menu: dry and wet. The dry menu consisted of whole young coconuts, ambon bread, eggs, and milk. The wet menu comprised white rice, eggs in sweet soy sauce, fried tofu in batter, sautéed carrots and corn, and watermelon.
However, Abdi acknowledged that whole young coconut is not commonly served in the free nutritious meal programme, which affected public perception. "Regarding the viral video incident involving the menu we provided, I and my staff offer our sincere apologies," he said.