Bara Puan cooks at Jateng governor's office, critiques MBG
Women in Semarang brought produce from farmers and fishers to highlight local output they say has yet to be absorbed.
Dozens of members of the women’s collective Bara Puan staged a cooking protest outside the gate of the Jawa Tengah governor’s office in Semarang on Tuesday (23/6/2026) afternoon to criticize the Makan Bergizi Gratis (MBG) program. In the action, titled “Dapur Umum Banget: Memasak Kemarahan,” they brought stoves, melon gas canisters, and food ingredients including chilies, kangkung, tempe, rice, potatoes, fish and shellfish. Bara Puan representative Tata said some of the ingredients were supplied directly by farmers and fishers, including from Dieng, Tambakrejo in Semarang, Sumberrejo and Batang. They said the MBG budget needs scrutiny and that local food potential has not yet been linked to the needs of the kitchen program prioritized by President Prabowo Subianto.