Jakarta – The government continues to strengthen oversight of the implementation of the Free Nutritional Meals Program (MBG) as part of its commitment to maintaining transparency and effective use of the state budget. The program, which is a national priority for 2026, is guaranteed to run with accountable governance to prevent potential corruption and waste in its implementation.
President Prabowo Subianto emphasized that the MBG program must be implemented in a targeted, professional manner, and provide real benefits to the community.
“This program is for the people, for the children of Indonesia. Therefore, its implementation must be clean, transparent, and free from irregularities,” said President Prabowo.
The government views strict oversight as a crucial step considering the program involves a large budget and is directly related to the basic needs of the community, especially school children and vulnerable beneficiary groups.
The government, through the National Nutrition Agency, together with relevant ministries and institutions, has strengthened the oversight system, from food procurement and distribution to serving food in the field. The use of digital systems has also begun to be implemented to facilitate real-time monitoring of program implementation, allowing for quicker detection of potential irregularities.
The Head of the National Nutrition Agency, Dadan Hindayana, stated that supervision is carried out in multiple layers to ensure the quality of program implementation is maintained.
“We ensure that the entire process runs according to standards and that the budget is used truly for the benefit of the community,” said Dadan.
In addition to internal government oversight, law enforcement officials are also involved in corruption prevention efforts from the beginning of the program’s implementation. The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), along with the government’s internal oversight apparatus, provides assistance at several program stages to strengthen transparency and accountability.
KPK Chairman Setyo Budiyanto assessed that a program with a broad scope like the MBG requires a robust oversight system to ensure its effective implementation and prevent budget leakage.
“Prevention must be a priority so that this strategic national program can run optimally and be free from corruption,” he emphasized.
The government is also continuously evaluating the distribution mechanisms and budget utilization to ensure efficient program implementation. Coordination with local governments is being strengthened to ensure optimal field-level oversight and that the quality of food received by the community meets health and nutrition standards.
By strengthening transparent oversight and governance, the government is optimistic that the Free Nutritious Meals Program can operate sustainably and have a real impact on improving the quality of Indonesia’s human resources.
The government emphasizes that every national strategic program must be implemented with the principle of high accountability to maintain public trust and ensure that the program’s benefits truly reach the wider community.