BRIN researcher calls for MBG evaluation to boost governance

Jakarta (ANTARA) - A researcher at the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), Yanu Endar Prasetyo, called on all stakeholders to use the evaluation of the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) program to improve public policy governance comprehensively.

In an interview session at the ANTARA Heritage Center here on Wednesday, Prasetyo said that the president's priority program essentially carries noble intentions and objectives for the wider community.

However, he noted that implementation challenges that have recently emerged in the field should be treated as valuable lessons for the government to improve the maturity of its planning system.

"Unfortunately, when we find major corruption cases occurring today, this certainly becomes a very costly lesson. From a public policy perspective, there are planning issues that we can certainly evaluate," he said.

He emphasized that the evaluation should not focus solely on the mistakes of one or two individuals, but should instead address the root causes within the system.

"It is not about individuals, but rather an integrated system. Corruption can occur when the system is leaky or has loopholes," he explained.

He encouraged a reassessment of potential conflicts of interest among implementing actors, ranging from the National Nutrition Agency (BGN) and private partners managing Nutrition Fulfillment Service Units (SPPG) or MBG kitchens to the oversight role of the House of Representatives (DPR).

With a more structured system, he continued, technical problems in the field, such as hygiene and sanitation issues at SPPG facilities, could be prevented at an early stage.

This is particularly crucial given the massive scale of the program, which involves more than 27,000 kitchens across Indonesia serving millions of beneficiaries.

"Without careful planning, supervision, and implementation, this will certainly become a very serious problem in the future," Prasetyo remarked.

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Translator: Sean, Kenzu

Editor: Arie Novarina

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