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🇮🇩 Indonesia /Elections & Politics

Indonesian Lawmaker Questions Minister on Ministry's Role in Meal Program

From Tempo · () Indonesian

Translated from Indonesian, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • A deputy chair of the Indonesian House of Representatives' Commission X questioned the Minister of Higher Education, Science, and Technology about the ministry's involvement in the free nutritious meal program.
  • The deputy argued that the ministry should focus on research and higher education rather than managing the logistics of the meal program.
  • She suggested the ministry should concentrate on research, analysis, and scientific studies related to the program's challenges, such as food safety issues and equitable distribution.

A senior Indonesian lawmaker has publicly questioned the Minister of Higher Education, Science, and Technology, Brian Yuliarto, regarding his ministry's role in the government's free nutritious meal (MBG) program. My Esti Wijayanti, Deputy Chair of Commission X of the House of Representatives (DPR), expressed bewilderment as to why a ministry focused on higher education and research is involved in managing the operational aspects of the meal initiative.

When you have so many homework assignments, why are you still managing the MBG?

— My Esti WijayantiQuestioning the Minister of Higher Education, Science, and Technology about his ministry's involvement in the free nutritious meal program.

"When you have so many homework assignments, why are you still managing the MBG?" Esti asked Minister Yuliarto during a working meeting at the DPR. She asserted that the ministry's focus should be elsewhere, stating, "There must be breakthrough activities, Pak, for the programs. You shouldn't be managing MBG, in my opinion."

There must be breakthrough activities, Pak, for the programs. You shouldn't be managing MBG, in my opinion.

— My Esti WijayantiAdvising the minister to focus on core responsibilities rather than program logistics.

Esti suggested that if the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Technology (Kemendiktisaintek) insists on being involved, its contribution should be limited to research and scientific analysis, not distribution or logistics. She pointed to past issues, such as food poisoning incidents, as areas where the ministry's research capabilities could be valuable. "If you want to manage MBG, what aspect should you manage? The studies, the analysis, the scientific aspects. Why were there many poisoning problems before?" she questioned.

If you want to manage MBG, what aspect should you manage? The studies, the analysis, the scientific aspects. Why were there many poisoning problems before?

— My Esti WijayantiSuggesting the ministry's role should be in research and analysis of program issues.

The deputy chair further recommended that the ministry should conduct studies on the challenges hindering the program's implementation, particularly in disadvantaged, remote, and border (3T) regions where access to the meals has been limited. She emphasized that the ministry and its research bodies should focus on building the necessary ecosystem for the MBG program's success through rigorous academic inquiry, rather than direct operational management.

That is the task of Diktisaintek with its research body. So that? This MBG program is successful, it can run well. But with studies.

— My Esti WijayantiEmphasizing the importance of research for the program's success.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Tempo in Indonesian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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