Mbg Indonesia

Former Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs Mahfud MD has once again been in the spotlight after criticizing the implementation of the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) Program. He highlighted the discrepancy between the program's budget and the value of the food received by beneficiaries on the ground. Mahfud believes an evaluation is necessary to ensure the MBG budget is used more effectively and its benefits are truly felt by the community. He stated that public concern arose due to the comparison between the large budget allocated by the government and the portion of food, which was reported to be only around Rp 8,000. He stated that this figure has led some to question the quality of the food provided. The claim that the Rp 8,000 meal, being like "rice for cats," has become a widespread topic of discussion among the public. However, the National Nutrition Agency (BGN) previously explained that the Rp 8,000 to Rp 10,000 figure represents the allocation for food supplies, not the entire program budget. The MBG budget also covers various supporting needs such as operations, distribution, incentives, and kitchen support facilities. BGN explained that for certain groups, the food budget is within this range, while the remaining funds are used to ensure the program's operational continuity. Meanwhile, the government continues to evaluate the implementation of the MBG. The program's budget realization continues to grow, along with the increasing number of beneficiaries and service units operating in various regions. The debate over the MBG budget arises because the program is one of the government's major programs with a wide beneficiary base. The public expects food quality to remain a top priority to achieve the goal of improving nutrition. Mahfud MD believes that the management of a large program like the MBG requires strict oversight to prevent discrepancies between the budget disbursed and the results received by the community. Meanwhile, the government emphasized that evaluations are ongoing to improve program implementation. Input from various parties is said to be taken into consideration so that the MBG can run better in the future. With the high public attention on the MBG, food quality, transparency of budget use, and program effectiveness are continuously monitored by the public. The government is expected to ensure that the program provides maximum benefits to beneficiaries.