Indonesia Slashes Free Meal Program Budget for 2027

Indonesia's ambitious free nutritious meal program, a key priority for President Prabowo Subianto, is set to see a significant budget reduction in 2027. The proposed budget is expected to fall from Rp 268 trillion to Rp 174 trillion, according to Said Abdullah, head of the House of Representatives' Budget Committee.

This substantial decrease is linked to a planned reduction in the program's service points, from 27,000 to 21,000 locations. Abdullah believes this streamlining will save the state trillions of rupiah. He emphasized that the budget would not exceed Rp 174 trillion next year, though further reductions are possible during the upcoming budget deliberations with the government, scheduled for finalization in September 2026.

Abdullah urged against a reactive response to the budget changes, stressing that the focus should remain on maintaining the quality of meals provided. "MBG (Makan Bergizi Gratis) should not always have a bombastic budget, but when it decreases, people shouldn't react with 'Oh, it's decreasing?' What's important is maintaining quality," he stated.

While the National Nutrition Agency has not finalized the 2027 budget, the Ministry of Finance and the National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas) have indicated an indicative budget of Rp 270 trillion for 81.5 million beneficiaries. However, agency officials note this figure is preliminary and subject to further discussion. Efficiency measures are being considered to ensure the program is more targeted. In 2026, the agency's budget was already cut from Rp 335 trillion to Rp 268 trillion.