January 29, 2026 | 02:45 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Head of the National Nutrition Agency (BGN), Dadan Hindayana, claimed that his institution is very open to various criticisms and input from the public. He mentioned that BGN even received a relatively high openness rating from the Central Information Commission.
Therefore, Dadan admitted that he has no problem with the numerous criticisms of the free nutritious meal program (MBG), including from several schools and parents who often criticize the menu on social media. "So if there are negative viral issues, the National Nutrition Agency is happy. Because it's a reprimand for the relevant SPPG (nutritional fulfillment service unit)," said Dadan after a limited coordination meeting at the Ministry of Food Coordination, Jakarta, on Thursday, January 29, 2026.
The professor at Bogor Agricultural University emphasized that everyone has the right to oversee all menus produced by the Nutritional Fulfillment Service Unit (SPPG). He stated that BGN, on the contrary, would be thankful to those who dare to criticize the government's priority program. "Anyone who evaluates is appreciated by the National Nutrition Agency," he said.
Previously, several cases have circulated on social media of schools and parents who distributed MBG menus being discriminated against by the SPPG. Most recently, two students in Trimulyo Village, Tegineneng District, Pesawaran Regency, were sanctioned and did not receive their MBG allocation for three days after their parents criticized the program's poor service on social media.
These two students are siblings who attend Al-Fatah Elementary Islamic School and TK RA Maarif 1. The act of sanctioning these students was condemned by the Minister of Women's Empowerment and Child Protection (PPPA) Arifah Fauzi.
Arifah stressed that the discontinuation of MBG services to children as a punishment for their parents' criticism is a violation of children's rights. This action is unjustifiable, both ethically and legally.
"This can be categorized as psychological mistreatment, causing embarrassment, trauma, and constitutes a form of covert intimidation or bullying," said Arifah in a written statement on Sunday, January 25, 2026.
Dinda Shabrina contributed to the writing of this article
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