FWK Urges Prabowo to Evaluate the Total MBG Program After the BGN Corruption Case

JAKARTA - The case of alleged corruption that ensnared the former head of the National Nutrition Agency (BGN) has emerged urging the government to thoroughly fix the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) Program. The National Journalists Forum (FWK) considers this step important so that President Prabowo Subianto's flagship program is not constantly overshadowed by governance issues.

This emerged in the FWK discussion in Jakarta, Wednesday (3/6).

FWK National Coordinator Raja Pane said the case involving the former BGN high official was a blow to the government because MBG was one of President Prabowo's priority programs.

According to Raja, this is the right momentum to rearrange the implementation of the program, ranging from planning, budget management, appointment of partners, to the supervision system in the field.

"We ask the president to conduct a total evaluation. So that the MBG program is really on target and can no longer be played, let alone corrupted," said Raja Pane.

FWK's attitude emerged after the Attorney General's Office named the former Head of BGN Dadan Hindayana along with two former deputy heads of BGN as suspects in the alleged corruption case in the management of the MBG Program for the 2025-2026 period.

Director of Investigation of the Attorney General's Office for Special Crimes (Jampidsus) of the Attorney General, Syarief Sulaeman Nahdi, revealed that the suspects were suspected of abusing their authority in appointing partners of the Nutrition Fulfillment Service Unit (SPPG) which carried out the program.

According to the Attorney General's Office, the foundation that should have been selected through a transparent mechanism is suspected of being used as a means of corruption and has links to officials and employees of BGN.

Former Deputy Chairman of the Press Council, Hendry Ch Bangun, assessed that the case should be a turning point for the government in determining the direction of the MBG program in the future.

"If you want to continue, this must be a turning point so that the MBG program runs according to its purpose, not like it has been so many problems," he said.

Hendry assessed that improvement must begin with the placement of the right and honest people so that the program does not stumble again on similar issues.

Senior journalist AR Loebis assessed that the change of the Head of BGN from Dadan Hindayana to Naniek S. Deyang should be appreciated. However, according to him, the change of leadership must be followed by a real improvement in the implementation of the program.

"This is an appreciation and a test for Naniek S. Deyang. He must focus and ensure that the MBG program is on target," he said.

A similar view was expressed by senior journalist Sarwani. He hopes that transparency will be the main foundation in the management of programs that concern the needs of millions of Indonesian children.

"Data must be open, accurate, and accountable," he said.

Meanwhile, senior journalist Didin Maninggara proposed that the police should no longer be involved in the implementation of MBG operations.

"The police should focus on the function of supervision so that their duties and responsibilities are clearer," he said.

The MBG program was started by the government in early January 2025 to increase the fulfillment of the Nutritional Adequacy Index (AKG) for schoolchildren.

With a budget of Rp85.27 trillion in 2025 and increasing to Rp268 trillion in 2026, this program is one of the government policies with the largest budget and also receives the widest public spotlight.