Satirical Flower Boards Fill Finance Ministry Fence: “Chinese Food Trays Triumph”

One of the wreaths that read criticism in the use of imported containers in the MBG program in the courtyard of the Ministry of Finance Building, Jakarta, Wednesday, November 12, 2025 (Ist)

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Finance's complex fence (Kemenkeu), Jakarta, was filled with flower bouquets containing protests and disappointment from producers and employees of the food route industry or food stalls, Wednesday, November 12. This symbolic action became a form of protest against government policies that were considered not to side with local producers in the implementation of the Free Nutrition Food (MBG) program.

The producers assess that the use of imported food trays in the MBG program has eroded the domestic industry. They admitted that they lost orders and were forced to terminate employment (PHK).

"Happy food route China has triumphed, local producers have become spectators," wrote one flower board on behalf of Rudi Santoso.

Similar satire came from Rizky Ramadhan who wrote, "Our hearts are that local food tray producers are injured, feel foreign in their own homeland." While Siti Aminah expressed her disappointment with the message, "Congratulations on enjoying an imported food route, we local producers are out of business".

Similar messages also filled the Ministry of Finance's fence, including reading:

The producers hope that the Minister of Finance, Purbaya Yudhi Sadive, who is also a member of the MBG program synchronization team, will convey their aspirations to President Prabowo Subianto so that the government ensures full involvement of the domestic industry.

The Association of Indonesian Food Forum Entrepreneurs (APMAKI) has been able to produce 11 million food routes with halal standards and SNI. We just want to be given the opportunity to participate," wrote a statement posted on one of the flower boards.

Previously, a number of government officials and the National Nutrition Agency (BGN) said the MBG program used local products, including food routes. However, findings in the field, the implementation is said to be not maximal because there are still many imported products in circulation.

Later, the police also raided warehouses in the North Jakarta area suspected of storing imported food routes for the MBG program. From the results of the initial examination, it was found that there were allegations of violations in the form of counterfeiting the Indonesian National Standard (SNI) label, the halal logo, changing the label from 'Made in China' to 'Made in Indonesia', misuse of the BGN logo, and potential state losses due to tax violations.

Throughout one year of the implementation of the MBG program, the government noted that 1.4 billion servings of food had been distributed through 12,508 Nutrition Program Management Units (SPPG) for 36.7 million beneficiaries throughout Indonesia. This program is also said to have created more than 625 thousand jobs and involved nearly 19 thousand MSMEs, cooperatives, and BUMDes.