SURABAYA - Chairman of the Indonesian Netra Bakti (NBI) HRM Khalilur R Abdullah Sahlawiy or Gus Lilur reminded that the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) program initiated by President Prabowo Subianto was threatened to be damaged if the practice of cutting the budget and managing the kitchen carelessly continued to occur in the field.
According to Gus Lilur, MBG is a noble program that aims to help Indonesian children, especially from poor families. However, the program is considered at risk of losing its meaning if the food budget is reduced before it reaches the beneficiaries.
"MBG is a very noble program. I am a supporter of MBG. But MBG will be damaged if there are thieves in the middle of the road. Poor children should receive decent, healthy, and favorite food. Not food whose budget is cut, stolen, or hit before it reaches their plate," said Gus Lilur in his statement, Thursday, May 28.
He assessed that various cases of MBG food poisoning in a number of regions were a serious alarm regarding the weak supervision of the implementation of the program in the field. According to him, this problem is not merely a program error, but a result of poor governance.
"The wrong one is not the MBG. The wrong one is the application. The president has a great intention to feed the children of the nation. But below, if the kitchen is sloppy, the menu is just like that, the hygiene is weak, and there are people who play fees, then the president's ideals will be ruined by profit hunters," he said.
Gus Lilur quoted Surat Al-Insan verse 8 which mentions the importance of giving good food to the poor and orphans. According to him, this verse emphasizes that food for people in need must be decent and quality.
"The Quran mentions food that is liked. Food that is liked. Food that is liked. Not food that is cut in the budget. Not food that is cut in the budget. Not food that is cut in the allocation," he said.
He also highlighted the alleged practice of asking for a fee per portion of food in the implementation of MBG. Based on the report received by the NBI, the value of the discount is said to vary from Rp. 500 to Rp. 3,000 per portion.
According to Gus Lilur, if this practice is true, then the quality of children's food will automatically decrease because the budget for food materials has shrunk.
"If from Rp. 10,000, they still ask for a fee of Rp. 500, Rp. 1,000, Rp. 2,000, even up to Rp. 3,000, then the children only eat from the remaining value. Some of them end up living around Rp. 7,000. This is what I call stealing the MBG budget. And this must be stopped completely," he said.
Gus Lilur explained that in the structure of the MBG program, the allocation of one portion of food has been understood to be Rp. 15,000, with a division of around Rp. 10,000 for food and Rp. 5,000 for the operational unit for nutritional fulfillment (SPPG).
He said that if the entire food budget was used in full, then the quality of a decent and nutritious menu was actually still very possible to be realized.
Apart from the issue of the budget, Gus Lilur also assessed that the involvement of too many third parties opens the door to the emergence of rent practices in the MBG program. He proposed that the government begin to reduce its dependence on business-oriented private parties.
"It is better for the country to make SPPG and manage it itself. It can be given to BGN. There is no need to find a third party. If the country is able to build its own kitchen, the country can lock the standard, reduce costs, supervise directly, and ensure that not a single rupiah of children's meal rights is embezzled," he said.
He also proposed that the management of the MBG kitchen be placed as close as possible to the school so that supervision would be easier.
According to Gus Lilur, the school kitchen will make the distribution chain shorter, the control of quality will be more effective, and the distribution will be more transparent.
"If the kitchen is in school, the principal can't pretend not to know. Teachers see it directly. The committee is supervising. Parents can complain. The health center can check hygiene. Nutritionists can monitor the menu," he said.
Despite launching a harsh criticism, Gus Lilur emphasized that the NBI still fully supports the MBG program because it is considered in line with the people's needs and religious values.
"I am a supporter of MBG. Because feeding poor students is God's command. But I can't support the implementation of MBG if I have to compromise with the MBG budget poachers. This program must be clean. Children must receive the best food according to their rights. The president must be helped, not betrayed by individuals below," he concluded.
MBG Can Be Destroyed If the Budget for Children's Food is "Copet" in the Middle of the Road
SURABAYA - Chairman of the Indonesian Netra Bakti (NBI) HRM Khalilur R Abdullah Sahlawiy or Gus Lilur reminded that the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) program initiated by President Prabowo Subianto was threatened to be damaged if the practice of cutting the budget and managing the kitchen carelessly continued to occur in the field.
According to Gus Lilur, MBG is a noble program that aims to help Indonesian children, especially from poor families. However, the program is considered at risk of losing its meaning if the food budget is reduced before it reaches the beneficiaries.
"MBG is a very noble program. I am a supporter of MBG. But MBG will be damaged if there are thieves in the middle of the road. Poor children should receive decent, healthy, and favorite food. Not food whose budget is cut, stolen, or hit before it reaches their plate," said Gus Lilur in his statement, Thursday, May 28.
He assessed that various cases of MBG food poisoning in a number of regions were a serious alarm regarding the weak supervision of the implementation of the program in the field. According to him, this problem is not merely a program error, but a result of poor governance.
"The wrong one is not the MBG. The wrong one is the application. The president has a great intention to feed the children of the nation. But below, if the kitchen is sloppy, the menu is just like that, the hygiene is weak, and there are people who play fees, then the president's ideals will be ruined by profit hunters," he said.
Gus Lilur quoted Surat Al-Insan verse 8 which mentions the importance of giving good food to the poor and orphans. According to him, this verse emphasizes that food for people in need must be decent and quality.
"The Quran mentions food that is liked. Food that is liked. Food that is liked. Not food that is cut in the budget. Not food that is cut in the budget. Not food that is cut in the allocation," he said.
He also highlighted the alleged practice of asking for a fee per portion of food in the implementation of MBG. Based on the report received by the NBI, the value of the discount is said to vary from Rp. 500 to Rp. 3,000 per portion.
According to Gus Lilur, if this practice is true, then the quality of children's food will automatically decrease because the budget for food materials has shrunk.
"If from Rp. 10,000, they still ask for a fee of Rp. 500, Rp. 1,000, Rp. 2,000, even up to Rp. 3,000, then the children only eat from the remaining value. Some of them end up living around Rp. 7,000. This is what I call stealing the MBG budget. And this must be stopped completely," he said.
Gus Lilur explained that in the structure of the MBG program, the allocation of one portion of food has been understood to be Rp. 15,000, with a division of around Rp. 10,000 for food and Rp. 5,000 for the operational unit for nutritional fulfillment (SPPG).
He said that if the entire food budget was used in full, then the quality of a decent and nutritious menu was actually still very possible to be realized.
Apart from the issue of the budget, Gus Lilur also assessed that the involvement of too many third parties opens the door to the emergence of rent practices in the MBG program. He proposed that the government begin to reduce its dependence on business-oriented private parties.
"It is better for the country to make SPPG and manage it itself. It can be given to BGN. There is no need to find a third party. If the country is able to build its own kitchen, the country can lock the standard, reduce costs, supervise directly, and ensure that not a single rupiah of the child's right to eat is stolen," he said.
He also proposed that the management of the MBG kitchen be placed as close as possible to the school so that supervision would be easier.
According to Gus Lilur, the school kitchen model will make the distribution chain shorter, the food fresher, and the control over quality more stringent because it involves the principal, teachers, school committees, parents, nutritionists, and health centers.
"If the kitchen is in school, the principal can't pretend not to know. Teachers see it directly. The committee is supervising. Parents can complain. The health center can check hygiene. Nutritionists can monitor the menu," he said.
Despite launching a harsh criticism, Gus Lilur emphasized that the NBI still fully supports the MBG program because it is considered in line with the people's needs and religious values.
"I am a supporter of MBG. Because feeding poor students is God's command. But I can't support the implementation of MBG if I have to compromise with the MBG budget poachers. This program must be clean. Children must receive the best food according to their rights. The president must be helped, not betrayed by individuals below," he concluded.
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