{
    "success": true,
    "data": {
        "id": 1890510,
        "msgid": "constitutional-court-rules-free-nutritious-meal-programme-constitutional-but-budget-must-be-separated-from-1785405264",
        "date": "2026-07-30 15:59:07",
        "title": "Constitutional Court Rules Free Nutritious Meal Programme Constitutional, But Budget Must Be Separated from Education Budget",
        "author": "Andri Saubani",
        "source": "REPUBLIKA",
        "tags": "",
        "topic": "Politics",
        "summary": "Indonesia's Constitutional Court has upheld the constitutionality of the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) programme but mandated that its funding be allocated as a separate budget item, distinct from the education budget. The court ruled that while the 2026 State Budget remains constitutional, the explanatory note allowing MBG funding from the education allocation is conditionally unconstitutional and cannot be used for future budgets. The government must now adjust the education budget to meet the mandatory 20 per cent spending floor and find alternative funding sources for the MBG programme.",
        "content": "<p>The Constitutional Court (MK) has declared the Free Nutritious Meal\n(MBG) programme to be in accordance with the constitution. The statement\nwas delivered by Constitutional Justice Enny Nurbaningsih while reading\nthe considerations for Decision Number 40\/PUU-XXIV\/2026 on Thursday.\n\u201cThe Court also affirms that the nutritious meal distribution programme\nin the form of the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) programme is substantively\nconstitutional as a manifestation of the government\u2019s priority programme\nresulting from the 2024 General Election,\u201d she said. Consequently, she\nstated that the budget for implementing the MBG programme must be\nstructured as a separate budget allocation. The budget formulation must\nalso be separated from the education budget within the State Budget Law.\nHowever, the MK\u2019s ruling does not automatically imply the loss of the\nlegal basis for the MBG programme\u2019s budget allocation in the 2026 State\nBudget, especially as it has been regulated in Law Number 17 of 2025.\n\u201cThe Court understands that if the budget allocated for MBG is removed\nfrom the education budget as stipulated in the 2026 State Budget, the\nimplication is the non-fulfilment of the education budget floor of at\nleast 20 per cent of the 2026 State Budget. This would actually cause\nthe 2026 State Budget to contradict Article 31 paragraph (4) of the 1945\nConstitution,\u201d Enny said. Conversely, if the education budget already\nallocated for the MBG programme is separated from the education budget,\nthe government must adjust the education budget allocation not allocated\nto the MBG programme. This is because the education budget must meet the\nmandatory education spending requirement before the 2026 fiscal year\nends. Meanwhile, the government must also seek other budget allocations\noutside the education budget to support the operational implementation\nof the MBG programme. In this regard, the Court needs to consider the\ninterests of the state as well as the resulting impacts and potential\nlegal issues that could cause legal uncertainty and violations of\nconstitutional rights. \u201cTherefore, the 2026 State Budget must remain\ndeclared constitutional, even though the Explanation of Article 22\nparagraph (3) of Law Number 17 of 2025 has been declared contrary to the\n1945 Constitution and conditionally lacks binding legal force as long as\nthe material is no longer used for subsequent State Budgets,\u201d she\nsaid.<\/p>",
        "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/constitutional-court-rules-free-nutritious-meal-programme-constitutional-but-budget-must-be-separated-from-1785405264",
        "image": ""
    },
    "sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
    "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}