MBG: Big Ambition Is Not In Line With Realita, Children's Rights To Get Safe Food Are Ignored

JAKARTA The Free Nutrition Food Program (MBG), the mainstay of the Prabowo Subianto-Gibran Rakabuming Raka government, is receiving strong criticism from various circles for causing poisoning. Children, who receive this program a lot, are said to have the potential to experience trauma.

Cases of poisoning due to MBG have made headlines in recent weeks. Recent data as of September 27, 2025, according to the Indonesian Education Monitoring Network (JPPI), MBG poisoning victims have reached 8,649 children. This means that there has been a surge in the number of victims of poisoning, as many as 3,289 children in the last two weeks.

In September, the number of victims of poisoning per week has always increased. The highest increase in the number of victims occurred one week ago (22-27 September 2025), the victim reached 2,197 children.

Instead of providing fulfillment of nutrition, the food provided by the state actually poisoned thousands of children. Children's tears broke out in classrooms, long queues in hospitals, parental unrest, and MBG's trauma were clear evidence that this program was stuttering to achieve its goals," said Ubaid Matraji, JPPI National Coordinator in a statement received by VOI.

The MBG program was launched last January with big ambitions, namely reaching millions of children to meet basic nutritional needs and prevent stunting or tengkes and malnutrition.

Prabowo's mainstay program was created to ensure that school-age children get adequate nutritional intake, are safe, and according to their need for growth and development with the long-term goal of producing superior human resources.

However, in practice, throughout 2025 there was a wave of reports of confusion related to the MBG menu in various regions. Thousands of cases suspected of being related to MBG caused public anxiety about children's food safety in schools.

The Indonesian Child Protection Commission (KPAI) together with the Center for Indonesia's Strategic Development Initiatives (CISDI) and World Vision Indonesia (WVI) conducted a child vote survey related to the MBG program in 12 provinces involving 1,624 respondents.

From the survey, as many as 583 children claimed to have received MBG food that was damaged, odor, or stale. Even 11 respondents continued to eat the food for various reasons.

In addition, children also complain about the quality and hygiene of food. Receiving vegetables and fruit that are oscive, the smell of unpleasant foods, dirty recitation containers including various experiences written by respondents.

Referring to the results of the survey, KPAI said there were four main problems in the MBG program. First, the aspects of hygiene and food safety that have not been optimal. Second, the timeliness and presentation of food that disappoints children. Third, deep and sustainable nutrition education is still lacking, and finally, the MBG program still tends to be emphasized on the economic aspect, not children's nutrition.

"The principle of child protection must be a guideline, from the best interests of children to awards for their opinions," said Deputy Chairperson of KPAI Jasra Putra.

KPAI urges the government to temporarily suspend the MBG program for a thorough evaluation. Jasra emphasized that the government must ensure that the free nutritious food provided is safe, quality, and does not pose a risk of mass poisoning.

The food poisoning incident experienced by Indonesian children in the MBG program is intolerable. Finally, children at a very young age are PAUD who have to experience it," said Jasra.

The condition of the body of an early age, said Jasra, is very different from that of adults. Children find it difficult to describe their health condition, especially if they come from families who are less sensitive or don't pay enough attention. One case of children who are poisoned alone is quite a lot for KPAI.

Cases of poisoning due to MBG cannot be taken lightly. A number of victims are known to have to undergo treatment at the hospital. This incident is considered to have an impact not only on physical health, but also on children's psychology.

"In addition to physical impacts, victims are traumatized," said KPAI Chairman Margaret Aliyatul Maimunah.

MBG Program in Lumajang Regency. (ANTARA/HO-Diskominfo Lumajang)

As a result of this traumatic experience, many students are reluctant to touch MBG dishes again. For this reason, Margaret urged the government to conduct a thorough evaluation of the mechanism for providing, processing, and distributing food.

This evaluation, said Margaret, is not to stop the program, but to strengthen guarantees that the food provided is truly safe, hygienic, according to nutritional standards, and liked by children. Because basically, every student has the right to food that is safe, healthy, and nutritious, not the other way around.

KPAI also emphasized that the government in its evaluation should listen to children's voices and experiences.

"Children need to feel calm and believe that the food they receive from the MBG program will support their health and growth and development, not the other way around. With strict supervision, community participation, and improved governance, the MBG program is expected to continue as an effort by the state to fulfill children's rights to proper nutrition and healthy life," said Margaret.