Observer: There is a Wong Licik Party Line that is not willing to make the people's stomachs full.
JAKARTA - The controversy regarding the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) program has once again become a public discussion. The criticism launched by a number of PDI Perjuangan politicians is no longer merely reflecting differences in policy views, but has evolved into a political narrative that has the potential to obscure facts.
A social and public policy observer from Kader Literasi Indonesia Maju (Kalima), Aiman Adnan, assessed that the debate actually reopened the old pattern in national political practice, namely being loud in public statements, but ignoring the decisions that have been made in official state forums.
"This is not a criticism of policy. This is a political farce. A storm in front of the camera, but forgets what they have agreed on together in the DPR Plenary Meeting," said Aiman, Sunday, March 1.
According to him, the reality on the ground shows a much simpler problem than the debate of elites in the center of power, which only discusses tables and figures in the state budget. The MBG controversy shows the widening gap between elite debates and the reality of people's lives.
"Poor people need to eat. School children need nutrition. The state finally came through MBG. Then who is it that feels disturbed?" he said.
"On one hand, children in the area come to school without breakfast. On the other hand, politicians are noisy about tables and percentages until they forget the essence," he continued.
He assessed that resistance to MBG reflects discomfort with changes in the orientation of state policies that have begun to place the fulfillment of the basic needs of the people as the main priority.
"This is the first time that the state has been present directly at the table of poor children in a systematic way. Then there is a group of politicians who feel uncomfortable," he said.
MBG is not just about numbers in the budget document, but about the survival and future of Indonesian children.
"MBG is about the stomachs of Indonesian children. Attacking it with a false narrative is the same as mocking people who live on the edge or even lack everything," he said.
He emphasized that if this controversy continues to be maintained with the same narrative, then the public may give a more decisive assessment.
"If you still insist on attacking MBG, this is no longer about education. This is about political intrigue of a bunch of people who we call the party of cunning people who are hypocrites. They are not willing to make the stomachs of little children full," he said.
He said that the government of President Prabowo Subianto and Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka is currently carrying out the constitutional mandate to strengthen the future generation through the fulfillment of the people's most basic nutritional needs.
"Whoever obstructs with a false narrative, means standing opposite the interests of the people. And history always has its own way of recording," he said.