West Java MBG Workers' Union Protests Policy to Close Nutrition Services During School Holidays

A workers' union representing staff of the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) program in West Java has voiced strong opposition to a recent decision by the National Nutrition Agency (BGN). The BGN has mandated a halt in operations for the Nutrition Fulfillment Service Units (SPPG) during school holidays, a move the union deems detrimental.

Members of the MBG Jabar Workers' Union, comprising volunteers and partners from various regions in West Java and even Banten, gathered in Bandung on Monday, June 22, 2026. They argue that suspending the SPPG's operations directly conflicts with the MBG program's core mission: to provide essential nutrition to pregnant women, nursing mothers, and toddlers. This suspension, they contend, disrupts the consistent delivery of vital food packages to these priority groups.

Muhammad Yusuf Miharja, a field assistant for an SPPG kitchen in Bandung Regency, explained the workers' concerns. He stated that the halt in operations during school breaks directly impacts the distribution of food to the intended beneficiaries. "When schools are closed, the distribution for these groups is also stopped. This is what raises our questions," Miharja said.

The union is demanding that the BGN reconsider its decision. If their concerns are not adequately addressed, they have threatened to stage a demonstration in Jakarta on June 29, 2026. The protest aims to draw attention to the potential negative consequences of the policy on vulnerable populations relying on the MBG program.

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When schools are closed, the distribution for these groups is also stopped. This is what raises our questions.