Golkar: The Problem with the Free Nutritious Meal Program Lies in Implementation, Not the Idea

Illustration of free nutritious food (ANTARA)

JAKARTA - The case of mass poisoning that occurred in a number of areas after the Transaction of the Free Nutrition Food Program (MBG) attracted public attention and triggered pressure for President Prabowo Subianto's flagship program to be stopped. However, according to the Deputy Chairperson of the Golkar Party for Public Policy, Idrus Marham, the problem does not lie in the idea of MBG, but in its implementation.

In his statement, Idrus emphasized that a program must be seen from various perspectives, including: philosophical, constitutional, and concept and target aspects.

"From the philosophical, constitutional, program and targets aspects to be achieved, there is no problem. But what has a problem is that it is at the implementation level," said Idrus.

He emphasized that if there is poisoning, then what must be studied is how the management and supervision are not immediately stopping the program.

Idrus said that the food safety aspect (food safety) and nutritional benefits for recipients must be taken into account in MBG management. The management of the program is what we need to study and improve ... if for example there is poisoning, why is that happening? ... management, one of them is the supervision and provision of nutrition," said Idrus.

He also called for those who wanted to play to be given firm action so as not to damage the program's legitimacy.

The problem with MBG, it is clearly not a matter of program substance, but rather the substance of management. There are at least three series of management, which are absolutely a serious concern for the manager. Because each of them contributes 100 percent in determining whether food is healthy or not.

First, the food served in MBG, don't test it from taste and shape only! But it must be a concern since the raw materials! A healthy food Hakekat nutritious 100 percent is in the quality of the raw materials! Just a drop of nila on raw materials, is damaged and means no longer all the nutrition of the food.

Second, in the process. How to manage it! Healthy or not a food, 100 percent lies in how the food is processed, managed. Don't because it's mass, then it's managed recklessly. Just as long as you reach the target. Don't! Because just a speck conceded nila while processing, damaged and meaninglessly all nutrition in the food.

And thirdly in the delivery system, how the food process reaches the hands of school children. In this delivery process, 100 percent of the healthy bet or a food is located. Raw materials may be patented, managed may be healthy, but if the delivery process does not heed health, matters can be long.

These three processes, each with 100 percent potential in providing nutritious and quality guarantees. 'Disadvantage' or leak, in one phase, can result in fatal poisoning.

Idrus' view is in line with the attitude of the internal DPR. Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Cucun Ahmad Syamsurijal stated that the poisoning incident was not the reason to stop MBG. According to Cucun, this program is very strategic to ensure Indonesian children are not malnourished.

"Please don't be damaged by people who want to make a profit," he said when met. He even encouraged the issuance of a Presidential Regulation (Perpres) which regulates the involvement of parties other than the National Nutrition Agency (BGN) as the leading sector in MBG.

Regarding the people's program, including the flagship MBG program, Idrus emphasized that the General Chairperson of the Golkar Party DPP, Bung Bahlil Lahadalia, since the crew emphasized that the MBG program is a flagship program for the President, very noble and its direct goals for the people to produce a generation of superior futures fairly and evenly, PG must be at the forefront to secure and succeed the MBG program productively.

So far, government data states that since the launch of the program in early 2025, cases of poisoning have been reported in several areas, including West Bandung, where dozens to dozens of students have experienced symptoms of poisoning after consuming food packages from MBG. (Specific data on the number of victims per region continues to be updated by the Ministry of Health and local agencies.)

Broadly speaking, public pressure for MBG to be stopped still receives strong responses from Golkar cadres and program support legislatures. Instead of stopping, Idrus and legislative figures emphasized the need for an in-depth evaluation of the management, supervision, and supporting regulations so that MBG continues to run and is ensured to be functional and productive effective to ensure the birth of a superior generation towards Indonesia Gold 2045, said Idrus.

Even in the framework of improving future management, this program can be used as an instrument to raise the spirit of community entrepreneurship in the regions by involving them in the management process. For example, MSMEs, cooperatives, village institutions close idrus.