EN.malanginspirasi.com – The National Nutrition Agency (BGN) has delivered a strong reprimand and imposed a temporary freeze on the operations of a Nutrition Fulfillment Service Unit (SPPG) managed by Hendrik Irawan, a private partner in the government’s flagship Free Nutritious Meal Program (MBG). The decision was triggered by a video that went viral on social media in mid-March 2026, in which Irawan was filmed dancing inside a kitchen while boasting about earning Rp6 million (approximately US$380) per day.
Vice Head of BGN, Nanik Sudaryati Deyang, expressed profound disappointment on Tuesday, 24 March 2026.
“We are clearly very disappointed and regret the partner’s attitude,” she stated.
Nanik stressed that SPPG facilities are not private businesses but public-service units designed to deliver nutritious meals to children as part of a national priority program.
In response, BGN immediately tasked its Director of Monitoring and Supervision, Brigadier General Doni Dewantoro, with confronting Irawan in person and delivering a formal reprimand. The agency has also demanded that Irawan issue a public apology to the Indonesian public and specifically to President Prabowo Subianto.
A subsequent on-site inspection of the Pangauban SPPG in Batujajar District, West Bandung Regency, uncovered multiple technical violations of official guidelines (juknis). The kitchen layout failed to meet required standards, and the Wastewater Treatment Installation (IPAL) was incomplete. Consequently, operations at the facility have been suspended until full compliance is achieved.
BGN Head Dadan Hindayana confirmed to Kompas.com on Wednesday, 25 March 2026 about the suspension.
“The temporary suspension is because they were instructed to construct the IPAL first,” he said.
Nanik added that the freeze was not based solely on the viral video but on the concrete technical non-compliance discovered during the unannounced inspection.
Sparks Outrage on Social Media
Irawan is known to oversee seven SPPG sites across the region, yet only one was operational at the time of the incident. The controversial video showed him dancing without wearing personal protective equipment (PPE), prompting widespread criticism for appearing unprofessional and disrespectful toward a program funded by public resources.
In his latest social-media post, Irawan has already issued a public apology, saying: “I, Hendrik Irawan, apologize to netizens… I had no intention of insulting President Prabowo Subianto’s program.”
He defended the Rp6 million daily incentive as fully compliant with BGN technical guidelines and noted that he had not yet recovered his Rp3.5 billion (approximately US$220,000) investment in building the kitchen facility.
The episode has ignited heated debate online. Some netizens accused Irawan of “overacting” and treating a public-service program like personal entertainment, while others argued that the incentive structure is legitimate under the program’s rules and that private partners must be allowed reasonable returns on their investment.
BGN has reiterated its commitment to closely monitoring every MBG partner to uphold ethical standards and operational integrity.
As of 25 March 2026, the exact duration of the suspension and any potential additional sanctions against Irawan remain undisclosed. The agency has pledged to protect the credibility of the MBG program, one of the cornerstone initiatives of the Prabowo-Gibran administration aimed at improving child nutrition nationwide.
