MBG Benefits Deemed More Tangible to the Public Than Wage Subsidies, See the Data

The effectiveness of the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) programme, which sparked various discussions upon its launch, is now regarded as the primary driver of public satisfaction and a catalyst for grassroots economic growth. According to the latest national survey by Poltracking Indonesia, public trust in the Prabowo-Gibran government stands at a robust 75.1 per cent. Poltracking Indonesia’s lead researcher, Masduri Amrawi, stated that of the 74.1 per cent of the public satisfied with the government’s performance, the main factor elevating this figure is the success of the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) programme. “We delved into the priority MBG programme. From this data, 88 per cent of the public are aware of this highly popular and phenomenal programme, though only 55 per cent are satisfied with it,” Amrawi said in his statement on Friday, 17 April 2026. Additionally, Poltracking’s data indicates that 36.5 per cent of the public consider MBG the programme whose benefits they feel most directly. “Surpassing other assistance programmes such as wage subsidies or healthcare services,” he added. These Poltracking findings align with the views of Oscar Darmawan, founder and chairman of Indodax, Indonesia’s first and largest digital asset exchange. Oscar views the programme as appealing, noting from a macroeconomic perspective that society experiences numerous benefits from MBG. “MBG absorbs a large workforce. MBG kitchens at every location employ a significant number of workers. Indonesia faces challenges with a large population but high unemployment. If the people are unemployed, it has negative effects on the country,” Oscar said. “So one solution is to create businesses that employ many people with skills that anyone can learn,” he added. Furthermore, according to Oscar, schoolchildren in small towns still lack proper lunches. Regardless of all the controversies surrounding the MBG programme, it is still better for them to receive a lunch than none at all. “Rather than just eating instant snacks. At minimum, with MBG they get rice, chicken, and eggs,” he stated.