House Commission IX: Constitutional Court Ruling a Momentum for BGN to Redesign Free Nutritious Meals Programme

The Deputy Chairman of the House of Representatives (DPR) Commission IX, Charles Honoris, has stated that the Constitutional Court (MK) ruling Number 40/PUU-XXIV/2026 should serve as a momentum for the National Nutrition Agency (BGN) to redesign the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) programme. He suggested that the BGN needs to redesign the number and criteria of MBG beneficiaries. By doing so, the programme’s budget can be reduced, eliminating the need to draw from the education budget allocation. “This is a momentum for BGN to redesign this programme. For example, refocusing the beneficiaries. Perhaps not 82 million as planned in the initial stage, but focused only on those who need it,” he said at the Parliament Complex in Jakarta on Monday.

Charles argued that if the main target is to reduce stunting and improve the nutrition of Indonesian children, the provision of MBG does not have to be given to all children. He cited data from the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) showing that only 26 million people, including children, pregnant women, and breastfeeding mothers, require additional nutritional intake to prevent stunting. “So, just refocus the beneficiaries from 82 million to 26 million. Automatically, the budget will be far less, not up to Rp200 trillion, but maybe only around Rp60 trillion, so it will not erode the education budget,” he said.

With a reduction in beneficiaries, the number of managed kitchens would also automatically decrease. Charles reminded the government of the importance of providing compensation for any Nutrition Fulfilment Service Units (SPPG) that are closed down. “We hope there will be some form of compensation because there is community participation that must not be harmed. If we calculate today, the number is already too many,” he stated. Charles stressed that the government must comply with the MK ruling and hopes the government will immediately adjust the draft 2027 State Budget (APBN) by adhering to the court’s mandate.

The Constitutional Court previously ruled that the budget for the Free Nutritious Meals programme must be separated from the operational budget for education delivery. The court stated that the nutritious meal programme is not a core component of education. In its ruling, the court ordered that this separation be implemented no later than the 2028 State Budget, or within two years of the verdict being delivered on Thursday (30/7). In its considerations, the MK affirmed that the constitutional mandate for a minimum 20 percent education budget allocation is intended to finance the core components of education, which include students, educators and education personnel, facilities and infrastructure, curriculum, and evaluation and development. The court stated that the financing of these core components does not include the MBG programme. The court granted part of the petition filed by the Nusantara Learning Garden Foundation, Dzakwan Fadhil Putra Kusuma, Muhammad Jundi Fathi Rizky, Rikza Anung Andita Putra, Sa’ed, and Indra Kusuma.