Afifah Amalia P, Jakarta – The appointment of Sudaryono as the new head of Indonesia's National Nutrition Agency (BGN), replacing Nanik S. Deyang, has drawn criticism from public health advocates, who argue that the leadership change reflects the government's priorities for its flagship Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) program.
Shadow Health Minister Irma Hidayana said Sudaryono's appointment raises questions about whether the program is genuinely focused on improving public nutrition and health.
"The appointment of Sudaryono, who lacks expertise in nutrition and public health, further indicates that the MBG program was not truly designed to address the nutrition and health issues of its target beneficiaries," Irma said in a statement on Thursday, July 23, 2026.
Before taking over the agency, Sudaryono served as Indonesia's deputy minister of agriculture.
State Secretary Prasetyo Hadi said the main reason for his appointment was his role in developing the technical aspects of the MBG program, particularly its food supply chain, rather than its public health or nutrition components.
Calls for evidence-based leadership
Irma argued that the absence of nutrition and public health expertise at the helm of the National Nutrition Agency is more than an administrative issue.
She said a nationwide nutrition intervention such as the MBG program should be led by professionals with relevant expertise to reduce the burden of non-communicable diseases and improve long-term public health outcomes.
"Such interventions can only be carried out through public health strategies, including evidence-based nutrition policies to ensure effectiveness, efficiency, and that assistance reaches the intended beneficiaries," said Irma, founder of LaporSehat and initiator of the independent monitoring platform MBG Watch.
She pointed to monitoring data collected by MBG Watch between October 2025 and January 2026, during which the organization received 535 public reports, including 20 confirmed food poisoning cases linked to the program.
The reports also identified recurring problems, including foul-smelling food, slimy meals, undercooked dishes, and the widespread distribution of ultra-processed foods in schools.
Separately, data compiled by Indonesia's Child Protection Commission (KPAI) through media monitoring recorded 12,658 children affected by suspected MBG-related food poisoning incidents across all 38 provinces in 2025.
Irma said the repeated food poisoning cases suggest the program has failed to uphold the public health principle of non-maleficence, or "do no harm."
"This ethical principle requires every nutrition program to be safe and free from harmful effects on its beneficiaries. It is a principle that should guide experts in public health and nutrition," she said.
Source: https://en.tempo.co/read/2115109/whats-the-shadow-cabinets-concern-about-sudaryono-leading-bg