Budget Talks: House Commission IX's First Meeting with BGN Chief Nanik Held Behind Closed Doors

Jakarta – Commission IX of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR RI) held a working meeting with the leadership of the National Nutrition Agency (BGN) at the Parliamentary Complex in Senayan, Central Jakarta, on Monday, 15 June 2026. The meeting was opened directly by Commission IX Deputy Chair Nihayatul Wafiroh, known as Ninik. BGN Head Nanik S Deyang attended in person, wearing a white shirt and black headscarf.

Shortly afterwards, Ninik first confirmed that the meeting had reached a quorum and could therefore be opened. She then sought approval from all participants on whether the meeting should be held openly or behind closed doors, as the first meeting with Nanik S Deyang would address budget matters.

“I ask all members, because this is a budget discussion, should this meeting be open or closed?” Ninik inquired during the session on Monday. The participants unanimously responded that the meeting should be held in private. “Like previous meetings when discussing the budget, I declare this meeting closed to the public,” she stated.

It was previously reported that the government has given a strong signal that the budget requirement for the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) programme could potentially be reduced further from the previously set ceiling of Rp268 trillion. The savings are expected to emerge after the government completes a comprehensive reorganisation of the programme’s governance, which is currently underway.

Minister of State Secretary Prasetyo Hadi emphasised that the government is not directly discussing budget cuts. However, preliminary evaluation results indicate that the programme’s real needs are likely lower than the projections previously used. “It is not a cut, but from the calculation results, we believe there will be a reduction in the budget requirement for this free nutritious meal programme,” Prasetyo Hadi said at Graha Mandiri Building in Central Jakarta on Thursday, 11 June 2026.

According to Prasetyo, the government is currently recalculating together with the Ministry of Finance and the BGN to obtain a more accurate budget requirement once the programme restructuring process is completed. “That is why we are asking for time to also calculate with the Ministry of Finance and the BGN,” he said. “So from the restructuring process, we will be able to calculate more precisely what the actual total budget needed for this nutritious meal programme will be,” he continued.