Cabinet Secretary Teddy States Free Nutritious Meal Budget Included in Education Budget Approved by Parliament: Budget Committee Chair from PDIP

Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya has responded to findings by the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP) regarding the allocation of funds for the free nutritious meal programme (MBG) within the education budget. He emphasised that the decision on the education budget allocation in the state budget has been approved by the government in conjunction with the House of Representatives (DPR).

“The education budget is 20 per cent of the state budget. This year it is Rp769.1 trillion, which is 20 per cent. And that is the education budget. What is the education budget? There are many things. Its allocations,” Teddy told reporters at the Presidential Palace complex in Jakarta on Friday, 27 February 2026.

He explained that the state budget amount has reached an agreement between the government and the DPR, including within the DPR’s Budget Committee. Teddy then referenced the Budget Committee chair, who also comes from the PDIP faction, Said Abdullah.

“And its allocations have been agreed upon together last year by the government, the DPR, and the DPR’s Budget Committee. The Budget Committee chair is also from PDIP, something like that,” said Teddy.

Teddy stated that the budget has been approved and contains many allocations, including the free nutritious meal programme (MBG).

“And all of that, including MBG, is the foundation for improving education going forward. That is the idea,” he said.

Earlier, PDIP had disputed the narrative that the free nutritious meal programme budget was not taken from education funds. Deputy Chair of Commission X of the DPR from the PDIP faction, MY Esti Wijayati, stated that in the appendix to the 2026 state budget law and the presidential regulation related to the state budget, the MBG programme draws funds from the education budget.

“In the appendix to the state budget in the form of a presidential regulation, it is clearly stated that from the Rp769 trillion education budget, Rp223.5 trillion is used for MBG. That is official in the state budget appendix,” said MY Esti during a press conference at the PDIP Party School in South Jakarta on Wednesday, 25 February 2026.

“We from Commission X of the DPR feel the need to explain clearly so that the public knows the truth according to the data,” she added.

Budget Committee Chair Said Abdullah has also commented on the issue claiming that the free nutritious meal programme is drawing from the education budget.