Indonesia Commits to Improving Free Nutritious Meals Program in One Month

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta – The Indonesian government has declared its commitment to carrying out a major overhaul of the implementation of the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) program within the next month. The government affirmed that the primary focus recently is to first address internal organizational issues and resolve all identified problems before proceeding to the next phase.

Several ministers from the Red and White Cabinet, along with other relevant parties, held a limited coordination meeting at the Coordinating Ministry for Food Security on Thursday, June 11, 2026. The main focus of the meeting was to discuss a total overhaul of the MBG program’s governance.

Through the new management, the government identified some serious issues. It ranged from the practice of buying and selling program distribution points to changes in the old Technical Guidelines that were deemed unreasonable.

At a press conference following the meeting, the Coordinating Minister for Community Empowerment, Muhaimin Iskandar, expressed his optimism regarding these reform measures. He is confident that under the new leadership, the National Nutrition Agency will be able to overcome all existing challenges.

Muhaimin said, “I am very pleased with this new management. I am optimistic that the President’s excellent programs, if managed properly, as the Minister of State Secretary mentioned earlier, will be carried out with good intentions and common sense.”

Furthermore, Indonesia’s Coordinating Minister for Food, Zulkifli Hasan, explained that the transition process from the old management to the new management is currently underway. Therefore, the government has decided to take a one-month hiatus to restructure the system deemed risky.

“At some point, the President finally listened and made a decision, to replace it with new management, as we say. Therefore, restructuring time is needed. One month, Mr. Commission Chairperson, one month of proper restructuring, what’s good will certainly continue, and what’s not good will be addressed,” Zulkifli said.

He further explained that during this one-month reorganization period, the government will focus on re-coaching. Concrete steps taken include reorganizing food distribution, evaluating elite schools, and improving food safety. Additionally, to prevent governance violations, the Nutrition Program Service Unit (SPPG) will be required to source raw materials from local villages to stimulate the local economy.