Zulhas Reveals MBG Programme Wastes Rp 1 Trillion per Month

Coordinating Minister for Food Zulkifli Hasan has stated that state budget wastage due to an excessive number of nutritional fulfilment service units (SPPG) has reached Rp 1 trillion per month. According to his records, the number of kitchens for the free nutritious meal project, or MBG, currently stands at 27,877 units. This figure exceeds the initial target of only 21,000 kitchen locations, meaning the number of kitchens for President Prabowo Subianto’s flagship project has swelled by 6,877 points. Assuming each SPPG receives an incentive of Rp 6 million per day, approximately Rp 41 billion per day, or around Rp 1.2 trillion per month, must be paid to these excess kitchens. “This needs to be organised so it can be improved and resolved,” Zulkifli said while chairing a cross-ministerial coordination meeting on the MBG programme at the Coordinating Ministry for Food office in Jakarta on Thursday, 11 June 2026. Zulkifli also highlighted that the swelling number of MBG kitchens has occurred in underdeveloped, frontier, and outermost (3T) regions. He said the number of SPPG in these areas ballooned to 8,617 points from an initial target of around 2,000 points. Specifically for kitchens in 3T areas, 6,138 points have already obtained a construction decree (SK) from the National Nutrition Agency, even though only 1,700 units have been completed in those regions. “Once there is an SK, the investors lodge it (as collateral for loans) at the bank, right? Yes, lodge it at the bank. So, from 2,000 it became 8,670, swelling by 6,138 points. Only 1,700 are finished, so there should only be 300 points left, correct?” Zulkifli remarked. Under the technical guidelines previously agreed by investors and former BGN head Dadan Hindayana, for every SPPG built by partners in underdeveloped regions, up to 120 percent of the investment value will be reimbursed, paid over four years. “If the investment is Rp 1 billion (for one kitchen), it is paid Rp 1.2 billion, four times over four years. This is extraordinary,” Zulkifli said. Therefore, the Chairman of the National Mandate Party stated that the government will reorganise the MBG project by remapping SPPG needs in each region and refocusing beneficiaries. Going forward, Zulkifli said President Prabowo’s priority project will be focused on categories including pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers, toddlers, and students from families in need. Zulkifli did not deny that the MBG implementation is still marred by problems. Besides refocusing beneficiaries, improvement efforts target the leadership structure within the National Nutrition Agency, which manages the MBG programme. President Prabowo officially inaugurated Nanik Deyang as Head of BGN on 8 June 2026, with Trenggono and Agustina Arumsari as Deputy Heads. Nanik, who previously served as Deputy Head of the Nutrition Agency, replaces Dadan Hindayana. Trenggono and Agustina replace Sony Sonjaya and Lodewyk Pusung, who are now named as suspects in alleged corruption within the BGN and are detained by the Attorney General’s Office. “At a certain point, the President finally listened and made the decision to replace them with what we call new management,” Zulkifli said. He added that improving MBG governance will take time. “This will be resolved, so it needs about one month to reorganise this,” he concluded.