JAKARTA - Education activists assess that the change of leadership of the National Nutrition Agency (BGN) does not necessarily solve the problem, because the problem of the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) program does not only lie in the figure of the head of the BGN.
The public was surprised by President Prabowo Subianto's decision to remove BGN Head Dadan Hindaya on Tuesday (2/6/2026). In addition to Dadan, two Deputy Heads of BGN, Lodewyk Pusung and Sony Sonjaya, were also dismissed from their positions.
As his replacement, Nanik S Deyang took the position of head together with his deputy, Agustina Arumsari and Major General Trenggono.
A day after the change, the Attorney General's Office named Dadan Hindayana, Lodewyk Pusung, and Sony Sonjaya as suspects.
Director of Investigation of the Attorney General's Office for Special Criminal Affairs Syarief Sulaiman said that the three suspects were suspected of arranging the verification of the BGN partner portal so that the foundations that were waiting as partners of the Nutrition Fulfillment Service Unit (SPPG) were foundations affiliated with BGN officials or employees.
However, the Coordinator of the Indonesian Education Monitoring Network (JPPI) Ubaid Matraji said that the removal of Dadan and his staff only answered the issue of personal integrity, but failed to touch the root of the systemic problem.
Save Citra ProgramSince it was launched by President Prabowo in January 2025, the MBG program has often been in the spotlight. Starting from the jumbo budget that sucks up the APBN to the poisoning allegedly due to consuming MBG. Then, in the last few months, a number of goods procurement by BGN for this program has been criticized.
Just mention the procurement of 31,000 tablets that are not in accordance with needs and the alleged mark-upharga, the procurement of 32,000 pairs of shoes, and the procurement of 21,801 electric motorcycles with a total procurement of around Rp1 trillion.
Meanwhile, the Director of Investigation of the Attorney General's Office for Special Criminal Affairs Syarief Sulaiman said that the three suspects were suspected of arranging verification on the BGN partner portal so that the foundations appointed as partners of the Nutrition Fulfillment Service Unit (SPPG) were foundations affiliated with BGN officials or employees.
The foundation, said Syarief, manages the MBG program with a budget of Rp85.27 trillion in 2025 and Rp268 trillion in 2026.
Even though there has been a change of leadership, JPPI National Coordinator Ubaid Matraji assessed that Prabowo's move was not a concrete solution to resolving the BGN governance mess. According to Ubaid, this reform is nothing more than an effort to damage control or impact control in order to save the image of the program.
The removal of Dadan, along with his staff, according to Ubaid, only answered the question of personal integrity, but failed to touch the root of the systemic problem.
"President Prabowo's quick move to remove the three of them is an effort to damage the control of the epicenter of this corruption case does not directly lead and stain the image of the MBG program, which is indeed the main legacy program of the president. However, the change of leadership will not solve the problem, it has the potential to make this MBG program even more adrift before sailing full-fledged," Ubaid told VOI.
Program EvaluationJPPI sorted out three crucial points that occurred in the body of BGN. The public, said Ubaid, criticized the MBG program from the beginning not only because of the factor of its leadership figure, but the flawed program design. With an extraordinary budget, when the leadership is shaken by corruption, this proves the public's concern that this giant fund is very vulnerable to becoming a new bank due to weak supervision and being forced to run fast without a solid system foundation.
The legal case that befell the head of BGN has a direct impact on the level of public trust and partners in the field. In addition, the MBG budget is also back in the spotlight. This forced budget continues to undermine the urgency of other public budgets, especially the fulfillment of basic rights.
"This is seen from the 20 percent education function budget which is increasingly distorted, sacrificing the guarantee of teacher welfare, and the renovation of damaged school facilities. The change of leadership does not change the biased budget policy at all," said Ubaid.
Looking at the case that ensnared the BGN minister, JPPI urged the government not only to focus on changing figures, but to take a number of important steps, including stopping imposing programs for all groups with the wrong target.
According to Ubaid, the MBG program should not be for all learners, but is targeted for those who do have nutritional problems and are constrained by food access.
In addition, institutional transparency is also needed, by opening up the entire governance of the procurement and distribution of BGN budget to the public. As well as having a solid foundation for a corruption prevention system.
Ubaid also urged the government to return the 20 percent education function budget and health budget so that they are not eroded by the MBG program.
"As long as the government only focuses on replacing people without daring to reevaluate the design of the budget, institutional transparency, and the impact of evictions of other public sector budgets, then BGN will only become a new platform for the next scandals," concluded Ubaid.
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