*) By: Syakur Hamzah
One of the major challenges faced by Indonesia in realizing the vision of Indonesia Emas 2045 is to produce superior human resources (HR) that are healthy, intelligent, and productive. In this context, the government’s policy of launching the Free Nutritious Meal Program (MBG) deserves to be appreciated as a real strategic step to improve the quality of community nutrition, strengthen national food security, and create a stronger and more competitive future generation.
The government’s commitment to presenting MBG as a national program is not just ordinary food aid. MBG carries a big mission to improve people’s consumption patterns, especially school children and pregnant women as the most vulnerable groups to nutritional problems. This step shows the government’s firm commitment to Indonesia’s human development.
The success of the MBG program clearly depends not only on the size of the budget or the scope of its targets, but also on professional, transparent management, and strict and comprehensive supervision. The government has shown its seriousness through various regulations and the involvement of many parties in supervising the implementation of MBG.
Member of Commission IX of the Indonesian House of Representatives, Netty Prasetiyani, stated that the MBG program is a strategic step by the government in meeting the nutritional needs of the community and strengthening national food security. According to her, this program needs to be supported sustainably so that its benefits are truly felt in the process of growth and development of superior human resources for the future generation of Indonesia.
Furthermore, Netty Prasetiyani emphasized the importance of transparency in the implementation of the MBG program. Openness of information to the public regarding budget use, distribution mechanisms, and beneficiary criteria will further increase public trust and strengthen the integrity of the program. The support of the DPR in this supervision proves that the government is serious about ensuring the success of the MBG program.
The MBG program has had a major positive impact on community welfare, especially children in areas with limited access to nutritious food. The problem of malnutrition that still occurs in several areas is the focus of government attention, and MBG is a real solution to address this challenge. Therefore, public participation-based supervision is very necessary. Community involvement in supervision creates strong social control, which will support the implementation of the program honestly and responsibly.
Secretary of Commission I of the Central Kalimantan DPRD, Yeni Maria M, expressed full support for the MBG program. She said that this central government initiative must continue to be maintained and strengthened in order to provide maximum benefits to the community, especially in improving the health of vulnerable groups.
Yeni Maria M also emphasized that the DPRD, especially Commission I, is ready to oversee the implementation of the MBG program through clear and measurable regional supervision. According to her, strict supervision is needed to ensure that the program is truly on target and effective, with the budget allocation being used optimally for school children and pregnant women as the main beneficiaries.
Synergy between the central and regional governments is the key to the success of MBG. The involvement of the DPRD shows that the government is truly building a comprehensive program governance system that is responsive to the needs of the community. This shows the government’s commitment to building welfare from the center to the regions.
From another aspect, supervision of food safety is also a major concern of the government. Professor of the Faculty of Pharmacy, Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), Prof. Zullies Ikawati, said that the active role of the Food and Drug Supervisory Agency (BPOM) is very important in ensuring food safety in the MBG program.
According to Prof. Zullies Ikawati, BPOM must be routinely involved in monitoring food distribution, including conducting inspections of food production and distribution facilities. This action is important to prevent the risk of food poisoning and ensure that the food distributed meets national food safety standards.
Optimizing the role of BPOM is part of the government’s strategy in maintaining the quality and public trust in MBG. Periodic inspections carried out by BPOM will ensure that every food consumed by school children is free from dangerous contamination and meets strict quality standards.
The government’s efforts in strengthening the MBG supervision system are highly commendable. The involvement of various parties, from the Indonesian House of Representatives, the Regional People’s Representative Council, to the BPOM, is clear evidence that the government is building an integrated, accountable and professional supervision system.
Transparency and public participation are key elements in creating clean, effective, and targeted MBG governance. The government continues to open up as much space as possible for public oversight, including through complaint mechanisms, periodic reports, and independent audits, which are an important part of the principles of good governance.
Supervision is not only the government’s task, but also the responsibility of all elements of the nation. Therefore, it is time for the community to fully support the government’s commitment to the success of the Free Nutritious Meal Program (MBG). With mutual trust and synergy, MBG will be the starting point for the national nutrition revolution.
The MBG program is a concrete step by the government to improve people’s welfare, strengthen national resilience, and create superior future generations. The government has shown that siding with the people is not just discourse, but real and measurable action. Public support for this program is a confirmation that the government is present to answer the nation’s challenges with real and sustainable solutions.
*) The author is a Public Policy Observer.
