Zulhas Apologises for Free Nutritious Meal Programme Turmoil, Pledges Fixes

Coordinating Minister for Food Zulkifli Hasan (Zulhas) has apologised for the turmoil that has arisen in connection with the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) programme. Zulhas pledged that the government will work hard to improve the MBG programme going forward.

“We apologise; for almost more than a year there has been extraordinary turmoil, occurring here and there. We have continuously, across almost all ministries, found irregularities. And action has been taken,” he said at the Press Conference on the 2027 State Budget Plan and Financial Note at the Directorate General of Taxes office of the Ministry of Finance, Jakarta, Friday (14/8/2026).

“And, Alhamdulillah, it is now led by a new person, a young man, Mas Dar (Sudaryono, Head of the National Nutrition Agency), who is open and intelligent. We ask for two months to refocus. We ask to resolve the 3 Ts: NTT, Papua, Maluku, which are in great need; we will resolve this within one month. Then toddlers, breastfeeding mothers and pregnant women, numbering 11 million, we will resolve within one to two months,” he explained.

Furthermore, he said, there is a focus that requires a longer resolution time, around two months. This concerns additional MBG coverage points, amounting to around 13,000 new points on the island of Java.

“And resolving the 7,000 to 8,000 SPPG (Nutrition Fulfilment Service Units) that have not yet completed their SLHS (Sanitation Hygiene Eligibility Certificate). We ask for two months for this,” he stated.

“God willing, the MBG will be even better in the next one to two months. In line with the public’s expectations, we will work hard and ask for your support,” Zulhas stressed.

For information, President Prabowo Subianto in his speech at the Annual Session of the MPR and the Joint Session of the DPR and DPD, Friday (14/8/2026), again touched on the MBG. He said the MBG not only provides food, but also purchases produce from farmers, livestock breeders, fishermen, and MSMEs around the service kitchens.

“The promise of Free Nutritious Meals (MBG), social assistance, and downstreaming is no longer a plan on paper; all have been running and their benefits are beginning to be felt by the people,” said Prabowo at the Annual Session of the MPR and the Joint Session of the DPR and DPD in the context of the 81st Anniversary of the Republic of Indonesia at the Nusantara Building, Parliamentary Complex, Senayan, Central Jakarta, Friday (14/8/2026).

Although it has been running, Prabowo asked not to be complacent, because there are still many people who need these programmes.

“This is not a reason for us to be complacent; this is a stimulus for us to work even harder, because we realise that independence is not what we proclaim, independence is what the people feel,” Prabowo stressed.