Indonesia Reviews Free Meal Program Budget, Prioritizes Needy

Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto has called for a comprehensive review of the budget allocated per portion for the government's "free nutritious meal" (MBG) program. The directive was issued during a limited meeting at the Presidential Palace on Wednesday, July 15, 2026, with the National Nutrition Agency (BGN).

Agustina Arumsari, Deputy Head of BGN, stated that President Prabowo wants all policy options thoroughly examined. This includes assessing whether the budget per portion, set at Rp 15,000, should differ between regions like Java and the more remote "3T" (tertinggal, terdepan, terluar) areas in eastern Indonesia. The President emphasized prioritizing beneficiaries who genuinely need the program.

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Does the budget per portion here (3T regions) match that in Java of Rp 15,000?

Discussions have focused on excluding recipients from higher income deciles (8, 9, and 10) who are considered financially stable. Instead, the program will prioritize individuals from lower deciles and those in underdeveloped regions with high stunting rates. This move aims to ensure the program's efficiency and direct resources to the most vulnerable populations.

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Those who need to be made more efficient, who no longer need to receive the MBG program, please do not receive it anymore. But those who are in the lower deciles, in disadvantaged regions, in areas where stunting prevalence is indeed high and so on, please be given it.

The Ministry of Finance had previously acknowledged challenges in the MBG program's initial phase, citing issues with supply chain readiness, food distribution, and logistics, especially in 3T regions. To address this, the government plans to strengthen local production by empowering community nutrition fulfillment service units (SPPG), village-owned enterprises (BUMDes), SMEs, and local suppliers.

Adding to the program's scrutiny, the Attorney General's Office is investigating alleged corruption in the governance of the MBG program at the National Nutrition Agency. Several individuals, including former agency heads and commissioners of a private company, have been named as suspects. This investigation adds another layer of complexity to the program's implementation and oversight.

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The government does not close its eyes to the realities on the ground.