Hundreds rally at Monas backing MBG, probing graft
Aliansi Masyarakat Jakarta Timur said MBG needs better governance, not cancellation, as it urged accountability for alleged graft.
Hundreds of people from Aliansi Masyarakat Jakarta Timur staged a protest at the Patung Kuda area of Monas, Jakarta, on Wednesday (17/6). They called for the Makan Bergizi Gratis, or MBG, program to continue while urging an investigation into alleged corruption in its implementation. The crowd gathered on Jalan Medan Merdeka Selatan carrying posters and banners highlighting MBG’s benefits for children and older people. Several participants also called for corruptors to be arrested. The protest proceeded orderly under the watch of security personnel. In remarks voiced at the scene, the group said what was needed was better program governance, not the end of a policy it considered widely beneficial for the public.