Gibran Volunteers Reveal Jokowi's Response to Widespread Protests Demanding End to Free Nutritious Meals

The volunteer group Militan Gibran Nusantara (MGN) has responded to demonstrations held in various regions over recent days, which included demands for President Prabowo Subianto’s government to halt the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) programme. MGN Chairman Andi Azwan stated he discussed these demands with Indonesia’s seventh President, Joko Widodo (Jokowi), during a visit to his residence in Sumber, Solo, Central Java, on Monday (15/6). ‘Yes, we had a discussion about that,’ Andi said after meeting Jokowi. Andi noted that Jokowi asked volunteers to fully support the programmes of the Prabowo Subianto-Gibran Rakabuming Raka administration. ‘Mr Jokowi advised us to continue helping to make the programmes a success, both from the Prabowo-Gibran government, the MBG, and other programmes,’ Andi said. According to Andi, many negative narratives about the Prabowo-Gibran government’s programmes are currently circulating in society. Jokowi requested volunteers to correct these misleading reports. ‘He advised us to fight hoaxes and misguided narratives constructed by parties who dislike government programmes that directly reach the people,’ he said. Andi acknowledged the need for a comprehensive evaluation of the MBG programme. He did not deny that the management of MBG has been less than transparent, opening opportunities for corruption. ‘Yes, that is what needs to be evaluated,’ he said. However, he firmly stated that MGN volunteers do not agree with halting the MBG programme, especially since it already involves many parties from various levels of society. ‘Stopping MBG requires many studies, not just arbitrarily,’ he said. Furthermore, he noted the government itself is evaluating the National Nutrition Agency (BGN) as the executor of MBG, and is also reorganising the programme’s implementation. ‘For example, the previous excessive spending is being reorganised more strictly, identifying which regions truly need acceleration, such as prioritising the 3T regions,’ he said. He claimed Jokowi appreciated the public demonstrations held in recent days, asserting that citizens have the right to voice their aspirations as a form of correction to government policy. Nevertheless, he cautioned the public to anticipate potential political interests hijacking the demonstrations. ‘Do not let them get caught up in whirlpools with malicious intentions from political elites, for example, or from foreign powers wanting to divide us,’ he said.