Jakarta – The government has reaffirmed its commitment to tightening standard operating procedures (SOPs) within the Free Nutritious Meal Program (MBG) as part of efforts to prevent food poisoning incidents and ensure food safety for millions of beneficiaries. A comprehensive evaluation is being carried out to strengthen governance, cross-sector coordination, and on-site supervision to ensure the program runs safely and effectively.
President Prabowo Subianto stated that the government has taken firm steps to enhance MBG’s safety through the procurement of modern equipment to support food testing.
“We are tightening supervision and SOPs. We are also purchasing new equipment — water filters, testing devices for every food produced, and modern tools for water and lunchbox sterilization,” he said.
The Ministry of State Apparatus Empowerment and Bureaucratic Reform (PANRB) also ensures that MBG governance is implemented in an integrated manner through the drafting of a Presidential Regulation on MBG Governance and another on the Organizational Structure and Working Procedures of the National Nutrition Agency (BGN). Minister Rini Widyantini stated that strengthening regulations is part of accelerating cross-ministerial policy implementation.
“The PANRB Ministry ensures that governance can be implemented thoroughly,” she said during a limited coordination meeting on MBG in Jakarta.
Rini explained that the draft regulations will govern the mechanisms for inter-agency collaboration — from planning and implementation to supervision. In addition to providing nutritious meals, the government is also focusing on strengthening infrastructure, partnerships, and cross-sector coordination.
She emphasized the importance of strengthening the National Nutrition Agency (BGN) and the National Nutrition Fulfillment Service Office (KPPG) as the spearheads of program implementation in the regions.
“KPPG must become the main driving force at the regional level,” she added.
Cross-sector coordination is also being emphasized, including collaboration with the Ministry of Health, National Agency of Drug and Food Control (BPOM), and ministries related to education. According to Rini, this coordination is essential to ensure optimal quality control, food safety, and program implementation within educational institutions.
Meanwhile, Coordinating Minister for Food Affairs Zulkifli Hasan stressed the importance of Presidential Decree No. 28 of 2025 regarding the establishment of the Coordination Team for MBG Implementation.
“There are 82.9 million MBG beneficiaries. We do not want any risks to occur,” he said.
Through strengthened governance, regulation, and coordination, the government aims to ensure that the MBG program is implemented more safely, transparently, and effectively — delivering tangible benefits to society as part of efforts to build a healthy and competitive generation of Indonesians.