Zulhas Whispers to Prabowo on Replacing BGN Head: 'Replace with Someone Younger'

JAKARTA – Coordinating Minister for Food Affairs Zulkifli Hasan has revealed the reasons behind the replacement of the head of the National Nutrition Agency (BGN), the body responsible for implementing the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) programme. Zulhas believes the programme, which targets tens of millions of beneficiaries, requires leadership capable of working quickly to resolve the various problems encountered in the field.

“MBG covers 82 million people. There are many problems, yes, but those who committed moral hazard, those who stole, those who robbed — they have been jailed and replaced,” Zulhas said during a panel session of the Eighth Indonesian Muslim Congress (KUII) at the Bidakara Tower in Jakarta on Saturday (25/7/2026).

Zulhas did not deny that the implementation of MBG still faces a number of challenges. Nevertheless, he said, the government has taken action against the various irregularities that have occurred in the programme’s execution.

He recounted a conversation with President Prabowo Subianto while attending a sugarcane harvest. On that occasion, Zulhas proposed that the leadership of the BGN be entrusted to a younger figure so that the programme’s implementation could be accelerated.

“Last week I was invited by the President to a sugar cane harvest. I said, ‘Sir, you gave me responsibility for the SPPG, yes. You want things done fast and well, yes. May I make a suggestion?’ He said, ‘Go ahead.’ I said, ‘Appoint someone younger,’” Zulhas said.

According to Zulhas, the proposal was based on the considerable workload involved in running the MBG programme. He cited the less-than-optimal health condition of BGN head Nanik S Deyang in shouldering such a major task.