By: Rosmawati Yanuar )*
The government is conducting a comprehensive evaluation of the budget allocation in the Free Nutritious Food (MBG) program to prevent misuse of funds. The flagship program that aims to improve the nutritional quality of Indonesian children, especially in the 3T (underdeveloped, outermost, and frontier) areas, requires a solid and transparent governance system so that its benefits are truly felt by the community. This evaluation is an important step to ensure the sustainability and effectiveness of the program, as well as maintain public trust in its implementation.
The Head of the National Nutrition Agency (BGN), Dadan Hindayana, emphasized that so far his party has distributed MBG funds in accordance with applicable regulations. Distribution is carried out through direct transfers to Virtual Accounts in the name of the recipient Mitra Foundation, as implementing partners. This scheme is designed to ensure financial accountability and facilitate the audit process. Even so, Dadan emphasized the importance of increasing supervision, including tightening the selection process for work partners and strengthening the internal evaluation system throughout the Nutrition Fulfillment Service Units (SPPG). This is necessary to avoid potential deviations that could hinder the success of the program.
BGN also appealed to all parties involved in the MBG program to actively evaluate their respective performances. Thus, coordination between institutions can run more effectively, and technical and administrative obstacles can be overcome immediately. Dadan added that BGN remains committed to running the MBG program according to schedule, with the main focus on improving the quality of community nutrition, especially school-age children.
Support for this evaluation step came from the legislature. Member of Commission IX of the Indonesian House of Representatives, Irma Suryani Chaniago, stated that based on the clarification she received from the Head of BGN, the budget distribution process from BGN to the foundation had run smoothly. In fact, BGN has provided spending funds for the needs of the next week each month, so there is no reason for program implementers to experience delays in food distribution.
However, according to Irma, improvements still need to be made in the governance of program distribution and payments. She hopes that there will be a more transparent and efficient distribution system, so that incidents such as the cessation of food delivery to schools do not happen again. For this reason, governance reform must be carried out immediately, so that the noble goals of the MBG program are truly achieved.
On the other hand, supervision of the MBG program has also been strengthened in the regions, especially in the Papua region. The Papua Province Financial and Development Supervisory Agency (BPKP) actively monitors the implementation of the MBG so that this program is right on target and runs effectively. The Head of BPKP Papua, Sapto Agung Riyadi, said that the MBG program has been running in several regions such as Merauke, Yahukimo, and Wamena. The focus of supervision is focused on the number of beneficiaries and the sustainability of food supplies. BPKP wants to ensure that funds are not blocked so as not to trigger price increases or interruptions in food distribution channels.
Sapto also stated that his party will continue to monitor the implementation of this program so that its benefits are truly felt by students. This is part of the commitment to supervising the national program launched by President Prabowo as one of the main priorities in the field of people’s welfare.
This collaborative step between the executive, legislative, and financial supervisory institutions shows that the government is serious about ensuring the success of the MBG program. A comprehensive evaluation of budget allocations and governance systems is a strategic approach to correct deficiencies and prevent potential financial irregularities. At the same time, the program continues to run so that its benefits are not interrupted for people in need.
It is important to remember that the MBG program is not just a distribution of nutritious food, but a long-term investment in developing the quality of human resources. Children who grow up with sufficient nutritional intake have a greater chance of learning well, growing healthily, and developing optimally. Therefore, the implementation of this program must receive maximum priority and supervision.
In the future, community involvement also needs to be increased in monitoring the implementation of this program. Transparency of information and reporting mechanisms that are easily accessible to the public can be important steps in building a participatory monitoring system. In addition, active involvement of local governments in distribution and supervision can also increase the effectiveness of MBG implementation.
This program is a reflection of the state’s presence in guaranteeing the basic rights of citizens, namely obtaining sufficient and balanced nutrition. Therefore, the government must ensure that there are no gaps in the implementation
