KPK Gives Notes on MBG: There Must Not Be a Perception of Merecoki 

JAKARTA - The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) ensures that it supports the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) program, which is the mainstay of President Prabowo Subianto. The study produced by the KPK Monitoring Directorate is said not to interfere with the implementation.

"This is like the crown of the president. So, because the crown is the president, the crown is on the head, we also have to be careful, if we touch it, we are considered to ask for forgiveness, sorry, the stigma of the KPK reprimanding the president's program. It can't be like that," said Deputy for Prevention and Monitoring of the KPK, Aminudin, to reporters in Banten, quoted Thursday, May 21.

"We all live in the Republic of Indonesia. So, whatever the president's flagship program, the government's priority program, the KPK will support it 100 percent," he continued.

Aminudin emphasized that his agency, in accordance with its duties and functions, is trying to carry out the legislative mandate. The KPK is said to ensure that flagship programs run well, are targeted, transparent, accountability is maintained and of course there is no corruption in their implementation.

"We believe that all of these flagship programs have noble goals, good goals," he said.

Aminudin had touched on a number of problems in the MBG program. One of them is that the impact of the people's economy in villages, in sub-districts, and in districts has not been realized.

He said the implementation of the MBG program was full of complexity because it involved many parties. Such as BGN, the National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas), and the Ministry of Finance. Then in the regions there are Nutrition Fulfillment Service Units (SPPG).

The source of funding for the program was also a topic that was included in the KPK's study.

"The source of funding for MBG is taken from the education sector, the health sector, and the economy. This is what caused some stakeholders who have been supporting education, health to scream a little. I happen to have friends, including those who work in the education sector, 'how is our budget used for that?' What is the relevance of it?'", he said.

"Yes, it's the country's policy, the policy of the head of government, just carry it out, the important thing is that the implementation is correct."