Hard-hitting response from a Gerindra leader over PDIP's critique of MBG in the education budget

The head of the Gerindra faction in the MPR, Habiburokhman, delivered a hard-hitting response to the scrutiny by PDIP member Adian Napitupulu of the Free Nutritious Meals Programme (MBG) included in the education budget. Habiburokhman asked Adian to challenge a debate with the Chair of the DPR’s Budgetary Body (Banggar), Said Abdullah, who is also a PDIP cadre.

The chair of the DPR’s Commission III said that Said Abdullah, as Chair of the DPR’s Budgetary Body, had confirmed the statements by Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indrawijaya regarding the MBG budget, which had been approved by the government and the DPR since 2025 and 2026. Habiburokhman said that all factions, including Adian Napitupulu of the PDIP faction, approved the 2025 and 2026 State Budget (APBN) in which MBG is allocated.

“Rather than challenging a debate with Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indrawijaya, it would be better for Adian Napitupulu to first challenge a debate with the Chairman of the Budgetary Body, who is also his party colleague, Buya Said Abdullah, or more entertaining if Adian debated with himself as a member of the DPR who also sanctioned the APBN,” Habiburokhman told reporters on Wednesday (4 March 2026).

Habiburokhman said politicians must side with policies that are pro the lower-income, and argued that no significant budget was cut to make room for MBG.

“A politician’s value lies in standing with the people and in consistency of stance and words; do not, out of a desire for attention, drive us to recklessness. Factually, the inclusion of MBG in the education budget has strong justification, namely because MBG recipients are students who are the most important part of the education system. Moreover, no more important allocations were removed to fund MBG; what happened was the removal of inefficient and corruption-prone activities in that sector,” he said.

According to Habiburokhman, the MBG budget issue that is now attracting attention among PDIP is irrelevant given that PDIP supported the budget in the DPR.

“MBG is the best programme and very useful for our children. The matter of the budget approval has passed since we have already agreed on it; now we simply need to oversee its implementation to prevent any irregularities,” Habiburokhman added.

PDIP’s statements about MBG followed remarks by several government officials claiming that MBG funding was the result of efficiency and did not draw from the education budget. This prompted questions from PDIP regional leaders and the public about the true facts.

“Our colleagues understand that the education budget of Rp 769 trillion is a mandatory 20 percent of the APBN and APBD that must be allocated solely for education,” said Deputy Chair of the DPR’s Commission X, PDIP faction, MY Esti Wijayati, at a press conference at the PDIP DPP Party School, Lenteng Agung, Jakarta, on Wednesday (25 Feb).

However, according to official state documents, funds for the MBG programme actually cut into the education budget’s share.

“In the APBN annex, issued as a presidential regulation, it is clearly stated that from the Rp 769 trillion education budget, Rp 223.5 trillion is allocated to MBG. That is official in the APBN annex book,” she said.

PDIP member of the DPR’s Commission X, Adian Napitupulu, reinforced that statement. He cited Article 22 of Law Number 17 of 2025 on the APBN for Fiscal Year 2026.

In that article, Adian said it explicitly states that operational funding for the administration of education already includes funding for the Makan Bergizi programme in both general and religious educational institutions.

“This explanation is further reinforced by Presidential Regulation No. 118 of 2024 on the details of the 2025 APBN, which states that the National Nutrition Agency has Rp 223.558.960.490. So Rp 223 trillion,” he explained.

Adian said PDIP’s move to publish this data publicly is not merely criticism; it is a form of respect for the constitution and for transparent governance.

“We govern a country guided by law. Communicating correctly in line with the UU and Perpres is a form of respect for the DPR and the government as its makers. So let us set this straight: it has indeed been taken from the education budget,” he added.

BGN’s Statement

The National Nutrition Agency (BGN) spoke up regarding concerns that MBG funding would disrupt other ministries’ budgets. BGN stated that no budget from other ministries was taken by MBG this year.

BGN head Dadan Hindayana explained that for pregnant women, nursing mothers, and under-five children, the budget allocation falls under the health function’s output details. For 2026, there is a Rp 24 trillion budget recorded under the health function by BGN. He ensured that this budget does not affect the ceiling for the Ministry of Health (Kemenkes).

“There is a Rp 24 trillion budget for the National Nutrition Agency included in the health function, but it does not affect the Ministry of Health’s budget. The Health Ministry’s budget has risen year on year, even with Rp 24 trillion allocated to the health function carried out by the National Nutrition Agency for 2026,” Dadan told reporters on Sunday (1 March 2026).

Dadan explained that the same applies to the education budget. BGN ensured it did not reduce the allocation for the Ministry of Education and Culture, Primary and Secondary (Kemendikdasmen) nor the Ministry of Education, Higher Education, Science, and Technology (Kemendiktisaintek).

“Then, for school-age groups including santri and other religious schools, the budget falls under the education function’s output details. Hence the Rp 223 trillion allocated to education does not affect the Ministry of Education and Culture because it has continued to rise year on year. It does not affect the Ministry of Education, Higher Education, Science, and Technology because from last year to this year it has also risen,” added Dadan.