House Commission X Urges Free Meal Protests Not to Involve Students
Deputy Chair of the House of Representatives’ Commission X, Lalu Hadrian Irfani, has urged that protest actions related to the free nutritious meal programme (MBG) should not involve school students. Lalu was responding to allegations that the Batam City Education Office mobilised students in the area to participate in a rally supporting MBG on 21 June 2026.
Lalu disagreed with involving students in MBG protests because it would disrupt the learning process at schools. “We do not want these students to take to the streets,” he said at the parliament building in Jakarta on Wednesday, 24 June 2025.
According to the National Awakening Party politician, aspirations should simply be conveyed by teachers or school principals to the local education office. The local education office would then forward them to the coordinator of the National Nutrition Agency. This method is considered more effective and ensures students obtain their right to education optimally.
“In principle, such movements must not affect the teaching and learning process. They will disrupt students from carrying out their actual duties at school,” Lalu stated.
He said Commission X had asked the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education to investigate reports of student mobilisation in Batam City to participate in a rally supporting the free nutritious meal programme. He claimed the news also came as a surprise to the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education. The ministry then coordinated with the Batam City Education Office and the Riau Islands Provincial Government.
Hundreds of primary and junior high school students in Batam City took part in an aspiration parade supporting the free nutritious meal project on Sunday, 21 June 2026. The parade by primary and junior high school students was held in front of the Batam City Legislative Council building.
They carried banners and posters supporting President Prabowo Subianto’s programme. Some of them were seen wearing school uniforms. Like a typical demonstration, the rally supporting MBG also featured speeches from a command vehicle prepared by the organisers.
A teacher who declined to be named said there was no official invitation for the parade; invitations were only circulated via WhatsApp messages in school groups. “We were also shocked, especially since the event was on a Sunday, we were forced to attend,” the teacher said.
Meanwhile, Head of the Batam City Education Office Hendri Arulan confirmed deploying teachers and students in the parade supporting MBG. His reason was that recently many parents had protested because the MBG programme in Batam had stalled due to a budget freeze.
He also confirmed gathering school teachers to discuss the issue of parental complaints. Consequently, the meeting initiated the holding of the parade supporting MBG.
“This (the parade supporting MBG) is the appropriate thing for us to do, to convey input to our colleagues in the Legislative Council to be passed on to the central government, that this MBG programme is good,” he told journalists during the parade.
Hendri did not respond to complaints from teachers who felt compelled to attend the parade. He also stressed that he did not oblige teachers or students to come; the invitation was only for those willing to participate.