TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesia's Minister of Finance, Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa, stated that there are several challenges in the early stages of implementing the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) program, especially regarding the readiness of the supply chain, food distribution, and logistics capacity. These constraints are most felt in the frontier, outermost, and least developed (3T) regions.
"The government is not turning a blind eye to the realities in the field," said Purbaya during the plenary session of the 25th House of Representatives of the 5th Session of the 2025-2026 term at the Parliament Building in Senayan, Central Jakarta, on Tuesday, July 14, 2026.
The statement was made by Purbaya in response to the views of the Democratic Party Faction regarding the initial implementation of the MBG program. According to him, the government has prepared several steps to strengthen the readiness of the supply chain and logistics capacity in the regions. One of them is by encouraging the Nutrition Fulfillment Service Unit (SPPG) to empower rural production centers, Village-Owned Enterprises (BUMDes), micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), and local providers.
Through this scheme, SPPG is expected to directly absorb food ingredients from farmers, breeders, and fishermen around the service locations. This step is aimed at strengthening the smooth supply of raw materials while also increasing the economic impact of the MBG program for the people in the regions.
The MBG program has recently come under scrutiny after the Attorney General's Office investigated alleged corruption in the governance of the program at the National Nutrition Agency. Investigators have named several suspects, including former Head of BGN Dadan Hindayana, two former deputies, Sony Sanjaya Lodewyk Pusung and Asep Yusuf Somantri, Commissioner of PT Yasa Artha Trimanunggal (YAT) Andri Mulyono, and Chairman of the Indonesia Food Security Review Foundation (IFSR) Glory Harimas Sihombing.
The Attorney General's Office has also named Deputy Secretary for Promotion and Cooperation of BGN Brigadier General Lalu Muhammad Iwan Mahardan as a suspect. Nonetheless, the Head of the President's Staff Office (KSP) Dudung Abdurachman stated that the free nutritious meal program will not stop just because it faces various problems in its implementation. He believes that the flagship program of President Prabowo Subianto must continue to operate while making improvements.
Dudung acknowledges that the National Nutrition Agency (BGN), the implementer of MBG, is currently facing problems after some of its leaders became suspects in a corruption case. "The government is not turning a blind eye to the problems that have occurred," he said in a written statement on Saturday, June 20, 2026.
Read: AGO Orders Halt to Regional Data Collection for Free Meal Program
Click here to get the latest news updates from Tempo on Google News
Patriot Bonds Lawsuit: What Does Purbaya Say About It?
10 jam lalu
Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa is preparing legal experts to respond the lawsuit filed against Patriot Bonds.
How Safe Is Indonesia's Debt? Minister Purbaya Responds
15 jam lalu
Minister of Finance Purbaya states that the strategy for future debt management rests upon four pillars.
Minister Purbaya Says Indonesia Will Not Raise Tax Rates
18 jam lalu
Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa said the government will not raise tax rates in the medium term.
Purbaya's Goals for the Rp400tn SAL Bank Transfer
3 hari lalu
Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa transferred Rp400 trillion in excess budget balance (SAL) to the banking sector.
Risky Budget Balance Acrobatics
6 hari lalu
The Financial Minister is withdrawing excess budget balance (SAL) funds from banks, triggering new fiscal and banking problems.
Indonesia's First-Half Revenue Hits 46 Pct of Target, Says Purbaya
7 hari lalu
Indonesian Finance Minister Purbaya reported that state revenue reached Rp1,459.4 trillion during the first half of 2026.
Indonesia Readies Incentives for Global Financial Center
11 hari lalu
Finance Minister Purbaya plans various facilities and incentives to attract global investors to the Indonesian International Financial Center.
How Will Indonesia Attract Investors to Its New Financial Center?
12 hari lalu
Indonesia is gearing up to attract investors to channel capital into the planned Indonesian International Financial Center (IIFC).
Minister Purbaya Says BGN to Implement Further Budget Savings
17 hari lalu
Purbaya stressed that the efficiency measures would not reduce the nutritional standards of meals provided under the Free Nutritious Meals program.
AIIB Plans Representative Office in Indonesia, Minister Says
18 hari lalu
The Indonesian government has pledged to provide land and a building for the AIIB office as part of the cooperation.
