In a statement Thursday, Kadin Chairperson Anindya Bakrie underlined the business community’s commitment to supporting the national priority program.
“We are determined to do our best, particularly on health. Through clear public communication, we aim to assure that the government, BGN, and all stakeholders are fully committed to making the program succeed,” he said.
Bakrie noted that the MBG program, launched Jan. 6, has been promoted internationally and gained recognition for its strong public-private partnership model.
“We recently showcased the program in Canada and the US. Many were impressed by how this initiative is running on a massive scale with close government-private sector synergy,” he added.
BGN Head Dadan Hindayana stressed the need for tighter supervision to meet food safety standards. He said President Prabowo Subianto had ordered all MBG kitchens to employ qualified cooks to ensure service quality.
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“All meals must be safe and edible when served. Food safety tests are mandatory, and all MBG kitchens managed by the police have complied,” he noted.
Acting Head of Kadin’s MBG Task Force Chandra Tirta Wijaya said Kadin convened a coordination meeting with BGN and MBG kitchen operators on September 29.
He said the hybrid meeting served to address challenges, including reports of food poisoning in several regions.
“Our target is zero accidents. We cannot allow any Kadin-affiliated MBG kitchens to cause incidents,” he said, stressing hygiene, staff health, and ingredient quality.
To serve 83 million people this year, BGN is working with Kadin and the National Police to establish kitchens nationwide. More than 10,000 kitchens are already operating, providing meals to over 30 million schoolchildren, pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers, and toddlers.
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Translator: Ahmad M, Tegar Nurfitra
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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