TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Nutrition expert and public health activist, Tan Shot Yen, assessed that several new policies to be implemented by the Indonesian National Nutrition Agency (BGN) have yet to address fundamental issues in the implementation of the free nutritious meal program or MBG. According to Tan, the forthcoming changes have not touched upon the root problems, such as weak planning, governance, and program supervision.
"I deeply regret that a national flagship program is devised, managed, and evaluated so poorly. Clearly, the new policy does not solve the problem," Tan said on Monday, June 8, 2026.
Tan believes the government needs to carry out a comprehensive overhaul of the MBG program design. The first step that needs to be taken, he said, is to clearly redefine the program's objectives, including the target to be achieved, success indicators, and the implementation deadline.
In addition, the government also needs to clarify which agencies should be involved in this program, as well as ensure the boundaries of each agency's role. Furthermore, it is equally important to involve expertise or professionals with clear duties and work targets.
At the same time, various memoranda of understanding (MoUs) that have been agreed upon need to be reviewed and adjusted to the actual conditions of program implementation.
From a technical aspect, Tan mentioned that the BGN is obliged to understand and implement the guidelines for infant and child feeding (PMBA) that have been emphasized by the Ministry of Health and the Indonesian Pediatric Society (IDAI). According to him, these guidelines must be the main reference in formulating nutritional interventions for the target groups.
He also criticized the conditions of several service units and nutritional fulfillment (SPPG) which still face various operational issues. Tan believes that the government needs to improve troubled kitchens, evaluate unqualified manpower, and stop ineffective budget spending.
In particular, he continued, the BGN must change the provision of incentives of Rp 6 million for SPPG that are suspended or temporarily stopped due to negligence or procedural deviations. "It's like blind salary, right? Getting paid without working," Tan said.
Other procedures that also need to be changed are the food standards in the MBG program. Tan believes that the Hygiene and Sanitation Eligibility Certificate (SLHS) and the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) certification are two mandatory requirements that cannot be negotiated in the implementation of the food program.
Tan stated that these two certificates must be obtained before the kitchen operates. This is different from the current rules, where SPPG are allowed to operate temporarily while waiting for these two certificates.
In addition, Tan proposed that each SPPG should employ at least one professional nutritionist and a kitchen head who has been trained to be capable of carrying out their duties. "Not just attending seminars or meetings, but truly being able to professionally run kitchen operations," he said.
In terms of supervision, Tan suggested that the government should establish a comprehensive system of supervision, monitoring, and evaluation. According to him, the system must cover the measurement of the nutritional status of beneficiaries, food quality, kitchen governance, clean and healthy living behaviors (PHBS), financial management, and the level of community satisfaction from various aspects, such as the success of circular economy and the utilization of local food.
Meanwhile, for implementation in the most disadvantaged, frontmost, and outermost (3T) regions, Tan believes that the government's step to delegate financing to companies through social programs or CSR is not appropriate. What should be done is to cut production costs by utilizing existing school canteens and opening canteen facilities for areas that do not have them.
Outside of operational aspects, Tan considers that family nutrition education also needs to be strengthened at the village, sub-district, district, and provincial levels. Such efforts are important for promoting the use of local food and increasing community appreciation for regional food resources.
He also asked the government to be more open to public criticism. According to him, the involvement of influencers and community figures should be directed to provide honest input based on the actual conditions in the field, not merely serve as a means of promoting programs.
"Criticism should be viewed as a reflection of governance and feedback for improvement. It should not be seen as slander or misinformation that is reactively responded to," Tan said.
Previously, Head of the National Nutrition Agency Nanik Sudaryati Deyang revealed several new policy directions of the BGN. Nanik informed about the latest policies two days after being appointed as the Head of the Nutrition Board, replacing Dadan Hindayana, who was arrested by the Attorney General's Office for alleged corruption.
Some of the new policies include a moratorium on opening new SPPGs and a focus on improving existing kitchens, budget efficiency through refocusing beneficiaries, and the preparation of a new scheme for MBG implementation in 3T regions.
"The main thing we have discussed and prepared the work plan for is to move towards budget efficiency," Nanik said in the inaugural press conference with the new leadership team at the BGN office in Kebon Sirih, Central Jakarta, on Thursday, June 4, 2026.
Dinda Shabrina contributed to this article.
Read: Nanik S. Deyang's Track Record Before Taking Over Indonesia's Nutrition Agency
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