Inp.polri.go.id - Jakarta. The National Nutrition Agency (BGN) has defended its decision not to shut down 41 free nutritious service unit (SPPG) kitchens linked to Yasika Aulia Ramdhani, the daughter of South Sulawesi’s Deputy Regional Speaker Yasir Machmud. 

The allegedly monopolized facilities serve the government’s Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) program and were criticized for exceeding the maximum limit of 10 kitchens per foundation.

“We’re not shutting them down. They’re already operating, how can we stop them? What about the children who benefit?” BGN Deputy Head Nanik S. Deyang told reporters at the Presidential Palace Complex on Thursday (20/11/2025), as quoted by antaranews.com.

She acknowledged the kitchens may have bypassed the limit by using multiple foundations, a loophole enabled by BGN’s registration system. Nanik said the agency will conduct performance evaluations rather than closure and emphasized that early program targets forced the government to accelerate approvals.

The case has sparked public outrage over alleged political favoritism in a program meant to serve low-income students.

(mg/inp/pr/rs)