Jayapura — The Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) program initiated by the central government under the leadership of President Prabowo Subianto has received a warm welcome from various elements of society in Papua.
Jayapura Regency community leader, Esau Tegai, assessed this program as a strategic step in building the foundation of a healthy, intelligent, and competitive next generation of Papuans.
In his statement, Esau emphasized his commitment to fully support the MBG program as a concrete effort to overcome nutritional problems in Papua.
“As a community leader in Jayapura Regency, I am committed to supporting this program. Good nutrition is the first step to creating a strong, resilient Papuan generation that is ready to become a pillar of the nation’s progress towards Indonesia Emas 2045,” said Esau.
He also gave appreciation to the role of the National Nutrition Agency (BGN) which has implemented this program in several regions of Papua, focusing on children, pregnant women, and breastfeeding mothers. According to Esau, the presence of the central government through BGN shows a real commitment to building superior human resources and equitable development in Papua.
“This program is an important foundation for equitable national development. Papuan children must grow up healthy, pregnant and lactating mothers must receive nutritious food. This proves that the state is present in fulfilling the nutritional rights of every citizen fairly,” he continued.
Meanwhile, the Head of the Food and Drug Monitoring Agency (BBPOM) in Jayapura, Hermanto, S.Si, A.Pt, MPPM, also welcomed the MBG program, especially regarding the use of local food. He encouraged the strengthening of the implementation of menus based on native Papuan food ingredients to make them more relevant.
“Papua is rich in marine and land products such as fresh fish, sago, sweet potatoes, and corn. These ingredients have been integrated into the MBG menu to better suit the consumption habits of local people,” said Hermanto.
Furthermore, he emphasized the importance of strict supervision of the quality of food served, to ensure that this program truly provides benefits without health risks.
“We will ensure that the food provided in this program is safe, nutritious, and fit for consumption,” he added.
With synergy between the government, community, and private sector, the MBG program is believed to be an important milestone in improving the quality of Papuan human resources and strengthening the foundation towards the vision of Golden Indonesia 2045.
