September 19, 2025 | 03:25 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Member of the Indonesian House of Representatives' (DPR) Commission IX, Sahidin, revealed that there are thousands of suspected fictitious free nutritious meal (MBG) kitchens across Indonesia. He obtained the information during his working visit to Batam in the Riau Islands Province on Thursday, September 18, 2025.
Of the approximately 8,000 Nutrition Fulfillment Service (SPPG) units that are partners of the National Nutrition Agency (BGN), over half are suspected to be fake. "BGN mentioned that there are about 8,000 designated SPPGs. However, 5,000 of them are unclear in their whereabouts," Sahidin said in a written statement on the DPR's website, quoted on Friday, September 19, 2025.
According to Sahidin, indications are showing that SPPGs are fictitious. For example, the physical location of the MBG kitchen cannot be traced. Yet the kitchen is registered as having an SPPG account. This was also reported to be found in the Riau Islands.
"The information I received, including in Batam, although not entirely. This raises suspicion that the SPPG is only meant to be sold," said the politician from the National Mandate Party.
Based on this finding, then, Sahidin questioned BGN's supervision of SPPGs' operations in the field. He said that, in addition to the alleged existence of fictitious SPPGs, only a handful of parties control the management of the MBG kitchen. He also highlighted the weak supervision of BGN over the governance of MBG.
Sahidin also touched on other issues that are still entangling the implementation of President Prabowo Subianto's priority program. According to him, regional governments and BGN are currently not coordinating the execution of MBG optimally. He emphasized that good coordination between regional governments and BGN could anticipate the abuse of authority for SPPGs that only want to take advantage of MBG.
"We ask BGN, both at the central and regional levels, to resolve this issue, especially in Kepri. Do not let this program be just a 'booking', the account is already registered and then sold," said Sahidin. He is worried that MBG will become a problematic program.
Separately, Dadan Hindayana, head of BGN, denied the existence of fictitious SPPGs. According to Dadan, the 5,000 SPPGs are potential partners of BGN who were observed to have no activity for 20 days after registering. Therefore, the 5,000 SPPGs who were supposed to prepare to operate must reapply from the beginning.
"The fictional category is when the SPPG is declared operational and the budget is sent, but there is no MBG implementation," Dadan said when contacted on Friday, September 19, 2025.
When asked how many fictitious SPPGs were observed in BGN's report, Dadan said there is no such term at BGN.
Dadan explained that there are 8,426 operational SPPGs throughout the archipelago. Additionally, 13,467 candidate SPPGs have entered the verification stage, and 8,966 potential partners are currently applying to become SPPGs. "Now, the 5,000 is part of the 8,966 (potential partners)," he said.
According to Dadan, the policy is called a "reset" or "rollback." He believes that this policy can reopen the opportunity to become BGN partners after they have been declared full.
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