President Prabowo Subianto accused educated individuals of insulting\nand mocking the free nutritious meal (MBG) program. Prabowo said these\neducated individuals even hold the title of professor. \u201cThey predicted\nthis project would certainly fail. That this program is a waste of\nmoney,\u201d the head of state said in his speech at the inauguration of the\nNational Police Nutrition Fulfillment Service Unit (SPPG) in Palmerah,\nWest Jakarta, on Friday, February 13, 2026.<\/p>\n
Prabowo said there appeared to be a deliberate campaign to undermine\nhis priority program. He did not name the professor or educated\nindividuals he was referring to. The president suspected the smear\ncampaign against MBG was driven by spite and envy. Despite the criticism\nand ridicule, Prabowo said it did not faze him.<\/p>\n
\u201cSomething that is under attack happens to be desperately needed by\npeople who are still economically vulnerable. Truly, it saddens me,\u201d\nPrabowo said.<\/p>\n
Prabowo expressed confidence that the MBG program, which has been\nrunning for over a year, is now on the right track. The program\u2019s goal,\nhe said, is to ensure Indonesian children no longer suffer from\nstunting. \u201cStunting is malnutrition. Malnutrition causes our cells to\nnot develop properly. Bone cells don\u2019t develop properly, brain cells\ndon\u2019t develop properly,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
He also explained the causes of stunting, citing impoverishment as\none factor behind the high rates of stunting among Indonesian children.\n\u201cA project of impoverishing the Indonesian people,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
The Gerindra Party chairman also revealed he had learned from other\nnations that the only way to overcome stunting is by feeding children,\npregnant mothers, and the elderly or powerless. Prabowo modeled the\nprogram after what more than 70 countries have done. He said over 75\ncountries have established meal programs similar to MBG.<\/p>\n
\u201cIndia\u2019s gross domestic product per capita is half of ours. Yet they\nhave the courage to provide free meals for 800 million of their people,\u201d\nPrabowo said.<\/p>\n
Therefore, according to Prabowo, there is nothing wrong with the\nprogram he is pursuing. In other countries, he said, some have even\nincorporated such programs into their national regulations. \u201cThat is why\nwe are carrying out this program. We face an extraordinary smear\ncampaign, saying I am wasting money,\u201d Prabowo said.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/prabowo-accuses-prominent-professor-of-mocking-the-mbg-program-1771198034", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }