BGN Ensures That Women's 41 MBG Kitchens, Deputy Chairperson Of The South Sulawesi DPRD, Will Not Be Stopped

Deputy Head of BGN Nanik Sudaryati (ANTARA)

JAKARTA - The National Nutrition Agency (BGN) will not stop the operation of 41 nutritional fulfillment service units (SPPG) belonging to Yasika Aulia Ramdhani (20), daughter of Deputy Chairperson of the South Sulawesi DPRD (Sulsel) Yasir Machmud which went viral on social media because it is suspected that there is a practice of monopolizing a free nutritious food project (MBG).

Deputy Head of BGN Nanik Sudaryati said the existence of the SPPG still provides direct benefits for recipients of free nutritious food.

"It's already running, when it's stopped? How will the children who receive benefits," said Nanik when answering reporters' questions regarding 41 SPPG belonging to the son of the deputy chairman of the South Sulawesi DPRD at the Presidential Palace, Jakarta, Thursday, November 20.

Nanik explained that in a system, one entity should only be able to manage a maximum of 10 MBG kitchens. Therefore, he suspects that Yasika uses several different names to register the 41 SPPGs.

According to Nanik, this happened because there were no rules that explicitly regulate stricter restrictions or verification mechanisms for MBG kitchen registrants.

Nanik emphasized that if the kitchens were still carrying out their duties properly, the government could not stop them because they still referred to the previous rules while preparing a regulatory update.

The tightening of the regulation will later be included in technical instructions (juknis) for the implementation of the MBG program, especially in the establishment and ownership of SPPG.

"We will evaluate it. If, for example, the kitchen goes well, that was the previous regulation, in the future we will enforce it again," said Nanik.

Regarding the alleged number of MBG kitchens associated with regional officials, Nanik said that during the initial registration process, the government did not know for sure who the owner of the foundation had volunteered.

He gave an example that the name of a foundation does not always reflect the identity of the owner or his family, so that the potential for political relations only arises after reports or information from the public.

Nanik added that since the beginning President Prabowo Subianto wanted the involvement of many educational and social foundations in the construction of the MBG kitchen. However, the increasing demand from the community so that their area immediately gets MBG services has made the government accelerate the process of forming SPPG.

On that basis, BGN opens opportunities for other parties who are able to build MBG kitchen facilities so that the program can immediately reach more children.

"Finally, okay, how to speed up the formation of the SPPG, we ask who can afford to be able to build, yes build the kitchen, that's it," added Nanik.

BGN ensures that it will improve future rules so that MBG's kitchen ownership and governance can be stricter, while still ensuring that nutritious food services for children and pregnant women continue to run.