Hoax: Prabowo to End Free Nutritious Meals Programme Amid Economic Crisis
Jakarta (ANTARA/JACX) – A Facebook post circulating on Sunday (18 October 2026) showed a screenshot of an article claiming that President Prabowo Subianto would stop the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) programme across Indonesia because of an economic crisis.
The post also described the purported decision as a response to a worsening economic crisis.
The screenshot resembled the Kompas.com news website. It showed a photograph of Prabowo speaking into a microphone, accompanied by the headline: “Prabowo Officially to Close the MBG Programme Nationwide Due to Economic Crisis”.
The post stated: “Officially to close the MBG programme nationwide due to economic crisis. Kompas.”
But is it true that President Prabowo will stop the MBG programme nationwide because of an economic crisis?
Explanation:
A fact-check found that the screenshot had been manipulated.
Kompas.com Editor-in-Chief Amir Sodikin confirmed that the outlet had neither produced nor published an article with that headline.
According to Kompas, Amir said the post’s creator had copied Kompas.com’s logo and layout to make the screenshot appear to come from the news outlet.
However, the typeface used differed. Searches of Kompas.com and its news archives also found no article with that headline.
Meanwhile, the National Nutrition Agency (BGN) is continuing efforts to improve the quality of the MBG programme.
BGN spokesperson Tysa Novenny said the government was strengthening oversight of civil servants and staff at Nutrition Fulfilment Service Units (SPPG), including enforcing rules against staff found to have committed violations.
The BGN has also required every SPPG to connect kitchen CCTV cameras to a monitoring centre. This is intended to allow the government to oversee compliance with standard operating procedures in real time. In addition, the agency is trialling buffet-style MBG service at 66 locations and tightening food hygiene and safety standards.
Government data also show that the MBG programme is still operating. According to an ANTARA report, by 30 September 2026 it had reached around 57 million beneficiaries through 27,486 SPPG units.
Over the same period, MBG spending reached Rp153.2 trillion, or about 66.9 per cent of the effective allocation of Rp229 trillion.
The government is aiming for the programme to reach 72.4 million beneficiaries in 2027.
Therefore, the claim that President Prabowo will close the MBG programme nationwide because of an economic crisis is a hoax.