By: Putri Ayu Lestari
The government continues to refine regulations for the Free Nutritious Meal Program (MBG) as part of efforts to ensure legal certainty and establish robust implementation standards. Since its official launch on January 6, 2025, the program has been placed within a national policy framework that emphasizes food safety, accountability, and long-term sustainability.
Food safety is positioned as the primary foundation of MBG implementation. The government views guarantees of food quality and safety as absolute prerequisites for achieving optimal nutritional outcomes. Accordingly, regulations are structured in multiple layers, ranging from laws to technical guidelines that can be directly applied at schools and healthcare facilities.
The Ministry of Health has ensured that all necessary legal frameworks are in place and interconnected. These regulations are designed to be implemented consistently from the central to the regional levels. This approach demonstrates the government’s seriousness in building a system that is not only normatively strong but also operationally effective on the ground.
Lucky, a representative from the Directorate of Environmental Health at the Ministry of Health, explained that implementing MBG on a national scale requires an integrated regulatory framework. The government understands that without clear legal certainty, supervision and guidance would be difficult to carry out uniformly. Therefore, regulations are designed to serve as a common reference for all stakeholders.
The legal foundation of the program consists of various complementary regulations, including Law No. 17 of 2023, Government Regulations No. 28 of 2024 and 2025, as well as several Minister of Health Regulations that specifically govern hygiene, sanitation, and food safety. Although some regulations share similar numbering, their substance collectively strengthens implementation standards in the field.
The Ministry of Health occupies a strategic role in guidance and supervision. The government ensures that this role does not stop at the central level but is translated concretely down to community health centers (puskesmas) and schools. Thus, regulations are not merely administrative, but function as instruments to protect students.
At the regional level, district and city health offices serve as the front line in implementing MBG regulations. The government provides a clear mandate for these offices to conduct continuous guidance, monitoring, and evaluation of Nutrition Fulfillment Service Units (SPPG). This approach shows that decentralized oversight remains aligned within a unified national legal framework.
The issuance of the Hygiene and Sanitation Feasibility Certificate is one of the key instruments to ensure compliance with standards. This certificate can only be granted after service units meet environmental health inspection requirements, laboratory testing, and the availability of certified food handlers. This mechanism is designed to ensure that regulations have a tangible impact on service quality.
The role of puskesmas is also strengthened within the MBG regulatory framework. The government assigns these primary healthcare facilities to conduct field supervision, random food testing, and training for food handlers. In addition, puskesmas play a crucial role in preparedness for extraordinary events related to food safety.
Through the latest technical guidelines issued in October 2025, the government has clarified the responsibilities of schools in supporting standard implementation. Schools are given an active role in conducting initial checks on food quality, ensuring environmental cleanliness, and overseeing the application of clean and healthy living behaviors. This demonstrates that regulations target not only providers, but also strengthen the role of educational institutions.
The management of the school environment is also regulated in detail. The government mandates the provision of segregated waste bins, temporary storage areas, and proper waste transportation and processing systems. These provisions emphasize that food safety cannot be separated from adequate sanitation and environmental management.
At the legislative level, support for strengthening MBG regulations continues to grow. Deputy Chair of Commission IX of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR RI), Yahya Zaini, believes that this strategic program should be regulated under a dedicated law. According to him, legal certainty at the level of a law would guarantee the program’s long-term continuity.
Yahya Zaini views the objectives of MBG as not measurable within a short timeframe. The government and the DPR share the perspective that human development is a cross-generational investment. Therefore, strong regulation is required so that the program is not affected by short-term political dynamics.
The proposal also emphasizes the importance of maintaining program continuity despite changes in government. The government is considered to need to ensure that MBG becomes a state policy, not merely a government program. In this way, its benefits can be consistently enjoyed by future generations.
The Head of the National Nutrition Agency, Dadan Hindayana, welcomed the idea of strengthening regulations through legislation. The government views this step as a breakthrough that can reinforce the legal foundation of MBG. With higher legal certainty, program implementation will have a more stable and measurable direction.
The refinement of MBG regulations reflects the government’s adaptive and responsible approach. The state is not only focused on implementation, but also on structuring the legal system that supports the policy. With clear regulations, supervision can be conducted transparently and accountably.
Going forward, consistency in regulatory enforcement will be key to success. The government has demonstrated its commitment to continuously improving and adjusting regulations in line with field needs. Through strong legal certainty, the Free Nutritious Meal Program is expected to become a sustainable policy that truly protects children’s rights and strengthens the quality of Indonesia’s human resources.
)* The author is a contributor to the Indonesian Strategic Information Studies Institute
