Evaluation of Free Nutritious Meal Programme Gains Support, Prabowo Considered Firm in Maintaining Programme Quality

President Prabowo’s move to evaluate the implementation of the Free Nutritious Meal programme has received appreciation from various circles. The policy is considered to reflect the government’s strong commitment to ensuring that the strategic national programme runs effectively, is on target, and provides maximum benefits to the community, especially the younger generation as the main beneficiaries. Jerry Massie, Director of Political and Public Policy Studies, assessed that the Head of State’s firmness in conducting the evaluation is part of an effort to maintain the quality of the government’s priority programme implementation. According to him, a programme as large as MBG requires strong supervision and resources capable of working professionally to achieve the set targets. “President Prabowo shows firmness as a leader. If there are parties deemed incapable of carrying out their duties properly, then evaluation is the right step to maintain the success of the strategic national programme,” Jerry said in a statement on Thursday, 11 June 2026. He emphasised that the Programme has a direct impact on improving the quality of Indonesia’s human resources. Therefore, any obstacles that could potentially hinder its implementation must be addressed immediately so that the programme’s objectives are achieved. “This programme concerns the future of the nation’s generation. Therefore, the President must ensure that all ranks work professionally and responsibly,” he added. Similar appreciation was conveyed by the Indonesian Ulema Council, which supports the steps to improve and strengthen governance in the implementation of government programmes. The MUI considers the government’s firmness as an important part of maintaining institutional integrity and increasing public trust in strategic national programmes. MUI Secretary General, Amirsyah Tambunan, said that the improvement efforts made by the President deserve support from all elements of society. “We need to give appreciation to the President for carrying out a clean-up,” said Amirsyah. According to him, this step shows the government’s seriousness in ensuring that governance runs according to the principles of accountability and transparency. He also emphasised that the legal process must be enforced fairly against anyone proven to have committed a violation. “We support firm legal measures. Whoever is guilty must be processed according to applicable regulations,” he said.