Cucun Clarifies His Statement About MBG Does Not Need Viral Nutritionists: Responds To Proposals At The Forum

Deputy Speaker Of The House Of Representatives Cucun Ahmad Syamsurijal (center)/PHOTO: Nailin In Saroh-VOI

JAKARTA - Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Cucun Ahmad Syamsurijal clarified his statement regarding the Free Nutrition Food (MBG) program that does not require nutritionists who go viral on social media.

Cucun said his statement was a response to the proposed change of term for areas that were malnourished for the SPPG kitchen.

"So, I will tell you first the chronology. So we carry out the supervisory function, so far there have often been complaints, both from partners and also from all stakeholders from KSPPG or Gizi experts themselves. Sometimes there are KSPPGs who do not match partners. Yesterday it developed, there were partners who developed there. Not only developed there, at first we were from RDP Commission IX who took the decision to find a solution to scarcity related to nutritionists, accountants," said Cucun at the DPR building, Senayan, Jakarta, Monday, November 17.

Cucun assessed that the term nutritionist cannot be given to someone without having certification as a nutritionist, so it needs to be replaced as a supervisor.

He also admitted that he did not know that the Indonesian Nutritionist Association had collaborated with BGN to curb this.

"Well, my friends from the Nutritionists already know below. Conveying a proposal, there is a sentence, don't use a nutritionist's frill if you really want to be replaced. Well, I also just found out that Persagi and BGN are just willing to follow up on the MOU, which has been from October," explained Cucun.

"Well, here it needs to be disciplined like this, for example, there will not be a nutritionist who from one kitchen moves to another. Then the ethics panel has also been submitted because there has been no technical MOU, it has been conveyed earlier," he continued.

"That's why yesterday's incident was because the proposal was no longer used, the proposal was in the forum. If you want to be replaced, don't use nutritionist frills, we will respond. We will bring it if, for example, it is like this, later the profession will be in the same profession as the other professions. But earlier I conveyed my aspirations here with BGN, maximize those who have a profession are Nutritionists," said Cucun.

Cucun mengatakan pernyataan itu disampaikannya dalam forum pengawasan dan konsolidasi di daerah pemilihan (dapil).

"In the electoral district, how many SPPGs are there, how many partners are there, how many others are Nutritionist accountants. That's continuing to evaluate," said Cucun.

Previously, a video clip of the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Cucun Syamsurijal, who said that the Free Nutrition Food (MBG) program did not require nutritionists, went viral on social media and sparked controversy.

This statement was conveyed by Cucun in the consolidation of the MBG Nutrition Fulfillment Service Unit (SPPG) throughout Bandung Regency, Sunday, November 16.

In the video, a woman who is a nutritionist conveys a number of problems faced in the field, including the widespread recruitment of non-nutritionists to occupy the position of nutritionist at the MBG SPPG.

He suggested that the National Nutrition Agency (BGN) cooperate with the Indonesian Nutritionists Association (Persagi) to meet the needs of professionals, as well as emphasize the importance of placing sanitary experts in order to maintain food security for beneficiaries.

But before finishing speaking, the woman was stopped by Cucun. His attitude in the video was even called arrogant netizens and did not respect the input of experts.

Cucun then said that he would hold a meeting with BGN to change the term 'Gizi Ahli' to 'Grizi Supervisor', so that the position no longer had to be filled by certified professionals.

The PKB legislator emphasized that the MBG program does not require Persagi or nutritionists, because according to him anyone can become a nutritionist after participating in three months of training.

This statement then triggered a wave of criticism from health practitioners, nutritionists, and the public who considered that the quality of nutrition could not be simplified was only a short training. Controversy continues to roll along with the viral video.