JAKARTA - Human Rights Minister (HAM) Natalius Pigai responded to the results of a study by the National Commission (Komnas) HAM regarding the free nutritious meal (MBG) program which said that its planning and implementation contained human rights risks.
Pigai assessed that it was too early to declare that there was an alleged violation of human rights in a program that was still running.
"In international standards, something that is in the process of development, the process of fulfilling needs, should not be judged as a perpetrator of human rights violations," he said, quoted by ANTARA, Wednesday, June 17.
According to him, the assessment of human rights violations in a program should be carried out when the construction has been completed.
"But (in) stages, if there are violations, they are evaluated," he said.
He believes that evaluation is important for consolidation and strengthening so that the programs carried out can achieve maximum targets.
"So, Komnas HAM should say there is a criminal violation, there is management error, adamisleading (error), mismanagement, there are violations, there are legal aspects that are violated," he said.
Pigai also did not deny the poisoning of students in the implementation of the MBG program. However, according to him, the incident is more appropriate to be viewed from a criminal perspective, rather than a human rights violation.
"That is the implementation of the criminal code, this (MBG) is only a construction. Therefore, I say, Komnas HAM does not understand the principles of human rights. Many do not understand," he said.
Previously, Komnas HAM encouraged the strengthening of supervision of the Nutrition Fulfillment Service Unit (SPPG) in the MBG program, including through evaluation of regulations and improvement of food safety standards.
In a press conference on Monday (15/6), Commissioner for Research and Studies of Komnas HAM Uli Parulian Sihombing said the results of studies and monitoring in a number of regions showed the need for improvement in the implementation of the program.
Komnas HAM, among others, recommends that each SPPG has a Certificate of Public Hygiene (SLHS), Wastewater Treatment Plant (IPAL), and food safety certification from the beginning of operations.
In addition, Komnas HAM recommends accelerating the development of SPPG in lagging, leading, and outermost regions as well as areas with high risk of flooding, including the Indonesia-Malaysia border area in Sanggau Regency, West Kalimantan.
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