Deputy Hajj Minister Dahnil Flooded by Netizens After Claiming Free Nutritious Meal Budget Does Not Cut Education Spending in State Budget

JAKARTA — Netizens flooded the comment section of Deputy Minister of Hajj Dahnil Anzar Simanjuntak’s account after he made claims about the source of funding for the free nutritious meal (MBG) programme. In a post on X, Dahnil asserted that the MBG programme’s budget does not cut into education allocations in the state budget (APBN).

The statement provoked a strong backlash from internet users, who questioned the accuracy of his claims regarding budget allocation for the programme, which has been a flagship initiative of President Prabowo Subianto’s administration.

The controversy highlights ongoing public debate over whether the substantial funding required for the free nutritious meal programme — one of the government’s most prominent social welfare initiatives — is being sourced without diminishing allocations for other critical sectors, particularly education.